Clara Poole, from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes
ca. 1888
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 5/8 x 1 1/2 in. (6.6 x 3.8 cm)
Classification
Photographs|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.203.45.1384
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American pop culture with *Clara Poole, from the Actors and Actresses (N45, Type 8) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes*, produced by the pioneering tobacco firm Allen & G around 1888. This petite albumen photograph, measuring just 2⅝ × 1½ inches, captures the poised elegance of actress Clara Poole, one of many theatrical stars featured in these collectible trading cards. Tucked into cigarette packs, they transformed everyday smoking into a treasure hunt, blending celebrity portraiture with savvy marketing. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg...
About the Artist
Allen & Ginter
Allen & Ginter, the pioneering American tobacco firm based in Richmond, Virginia, emerged around 1880 from the partnership of John F. Allen and Lewis Ginter, evolving from Allen's earlier John F. Allen & Company. Allen retired in 1882, succeeded by John Pope, yet the brand endured under Ginter's leadership, employing over 1,100 workers—mostly women—for hand-rolled cigarettes by 1886. Ginter, a Dut...