Miss Annie Summerville, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 1/2 × 1 7/16 in. (6.4 × 3.7 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
63.350.220.245.1754
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century advertising with *Miss Annie Summerville, from the Actresses series (N245)*, a tiny yet captivating albumen photograph produced by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company in 1890. This portrait captures the poised elegance of actress Annie Summerville, one of many theatrical stars featured in a promotional series tied to Sweet Caporal Cigarettes. Measuring just 2 1/2 × 1 7/16 inches, these cards were collectible trading cards distributed inside cigarette packs, blending celebrity allure with clever marketing to entice smokers and hobbyists alike. A...
About the Artist
Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company · 1869–2011
**Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company (1869–2011)** Founded around 1869 by Francis Sherwood Kinney in New York City, the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company quickly rose to prominence in the burgeoning American cigarette industry. Francis, a pioneering tobacco manufacturer, experimented with hand-rolled cigarettes using blends of Turkish and Virginia tobacco, scaling to mass production by employing Europ...