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

This is a printed card made by Allen & Ginter as part of a series of actors and actresses, meant to be included in packs of Virginia Brights Cigarettes. These cards emerged during the late 19th century in the United States, a time of significant industrial and commercial expansion. The rise of consumer culture saw companies using innovative marketing strategies to promote their products. Trading cards featuring popular figures, like actress Julia Marlow, became a common tactic to boost sales. Marlow was a prominent stage actress, and her image, reproduced en masse and distributed with cigarettes, speaks to the growing celebrity culture of the time. The Virginia Brights company benefited from the implied association between their product and this celebrity. These cards offer valuable insights into the social and economic forces that shaped popular culture in the Gilded Age. To fully understand its significance, researchers can explore archives of advertising history.