Mrs. J.B. Potter, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes
1886–90
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
sheet: 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 in. (6.9 x 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
63.350.215.171.340
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the glittering world of 19th theater with *Mrs. J.B. Potter, from the Actors andresses series (N171 for Gypsy Queen Cigarettes produced by Goodwin & Company 1886–90. This petite albumen photograph captures the poised elegance of Mrs. J.B. Potter, a prominent actress of the Gilded Age, as part of a popular series of celebrity portraits tucked into cigarette packs. These cards were savvy marketing tools, turning smokers into collectors and elevating stage stars like Potter to household names amid America's booming tobacco industry. Crafted in the albumen process—where egg whites coate...
About the Artist
Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950
**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...