Frankie Raymond, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This photograph of Frankie Raymond was made by Allen & Ginter as part of a series of collectible cards included with Virginia Brights Cigarettes. The photographic print, a type of mass-produced image, served as both advertising and a collectible item. Consider the materiality of this image. Paper, processed and printed, becomes a vehicle for commerce. The photograph’s sepia tone lends a nostalgic air, while its small size speaks to its function as a disposable commodity. The choice of depicting actors and actresses like Frankie Raymond taps into the growing celebrity culture of the late 19th century, and the popular taste for live theater. The card indexes a complex relationship between leisure, labor, and consumption. Each card represents a unit of labor and material extracted to create it, from growing tobacco to printing the image. It's a small reminder that even seemingly ephemeral images are embedded in larger economic and social systems. By attending to these material details, we can broaden our understanding of its historical and cultural significance.