Card Number 20, cut-out from banner advertising the Opera Gloves series (G29) for Allen & Ginter Cigarettes 1885 - 1895

Allen & Ginter created this lithograph in the United States as an advertisement for their cigarettes. It takes the form of a collectible card from their “Opera Gloves” series. The image presents a gloved hand displaying a portrait of a woman. This was a time when consumer culture was rapidly evolving, and tobacco companies used collectible cards to build brand loyalty. But the image also reflects the social norms of the late 19th century. The opera glove, with its suggestive opening, speaks to the era’s complex relationship with propriety and female representation. As historians, we look to sources such as advertising ephemera, company records, and social commentaries to understand the cultural values that shaped such imagery. By doing so, we can see how seemingly simple objects like these reflect and reinforce broader social and institutional structures.