Miss Madden, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
Sheet: 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 in. (6.8 × 3.5 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
63.350.208.145.8.180
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of late 19th-century advertising *Miss Madden, from the Actors and Actresses seriesN145-8)*, a tiny yet captivating albumen photograph issued around 1891 by W. Duke, Sons & Co to promote their Duke Cigarettes. This portrait card features the actress Miss Madden, one of many celebrities whose images were traded like treasures to entice smokers and collectors alike. At just 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 inches, these ephemera were tucked into cigarette packs, transforming everyday tobacco into a gateway for starstruck fandom. Crafted in albumen, the era's premier photographic proc...
About the Artist
American Tobacco Company|W. Duke, Sons & Co.
**American Tobacco Company (1890–1911)** Founded on January 31, 1890, in Durham, North Carolina, by James Buchanan Duke, the American Tobacco Company emerged from the consolidation of five major U.S. tobacco manufacturers: W. Duke & Sons, Allen & Ginter, Goodwin & Company, W.S. Kimball & Co., and Kinney Brothers. Under Duke's aggressive leadership, it rapidly achieved monopoly status, controlling...