Daisy Murdoch, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1886 - 1890

Editor: This is "Daisy Murdoch, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes," dating from 1886 to 1890, produced by Goodwin & Company. It's fascinating – a small, almost sepia-toned card. It strikes me as odd how an actress’s image was used to sell cigarettes. How would you interpret this work? Curator: We must consider the commodification of celebrity and the role of advertising in late 19th-century America. Think about the materiality of the card itself - mass-produced, inserted into cigarette packs, literally consumed and discarded. This brings the actress Daisy Murdoch into the realm of everyday consumption. How does that shift your perception of her representation? Editor: It makes me think of the factory workers who packaged the cigarettes. Did they perhaps admire the actresses they saw every day? Were they paid fairly? Also, what's the power dynamic? The cigarette company profits, the actress gains exposure... Curator: Precisely. Consider the labour involved: from the growing and processing of tobacco, the printing of these cards, the assembly lines. These cards aren’t simply portraits; they are artifacts of a specific industrial moment. This form of advertisement was really a contract with a consumer base. Editor: I see. The value isn't just in the image but also the layers of production behind it. It highlights labour and materials rather than artistic skill, which really puts into perspective my initial, more simple idea of what it means. Curator: Indeed. And recognizing those systems helps us understand the complex social context from which it came. That simple card unveils hidden histories of labor, consumerism, and celebrity culture.