Card Number 389, Pauline Markham, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes 1880s

This small card, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. around the turn of the century, was included in packs of Cameo Cigarettes as a promotional item. It depicts Pauline Markham, a British actress known for her roles in burlesque. Cards like these offered a glimpse into the world of celebrity, but also reveal much about the era's social mores, commercial strategies, and the commodification of female performers. Markham's confident pose, with hand to brow as she gazes out to sea, suggests both adventure and allure. Yet, her image is also carefully constructed, designed to appeal to the male gaze, and to sell cigarettes. The combination of the sea and the actress implies freedom, but the reality for women in theatre at the time was often one of financial dependence and precarious social standing. This card invites us to consider the complex interplay between art, commerce, and the construction of identity in the late 19th century, and how these forces continue to shape our perceptions today.