Card Number 321, Bessie Cleveland, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-5) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cameo Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Card Number 321,ie Cleveland*, a petite albumen photograph from the and Actresses series (145-5). Issued W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the 1880s to their Cameo Cigarettes, this card—measuring just 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 inches—captures the poised portrait of actress Bess Cleveland, highlighting her as a celebrated figure in American theater. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg whites and silver salts, were the gold standard for photography in this era, offering rich tones and fine detail ideal for mass-produced ephemera like these collectible trade cards. Duke's series turned tobacco promotion into a hobby, enticing smokers and enthusiasts to amass sets featuring stars, blending commerce with celebrity culture. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this card reflects the era's booming print industry and the rising fame of women performers. It offers a glimpse into how everyday objects immortalized cultural icons, bridging art, advertising, and social history.

About the Artist

W. Duke, Sons & Co. · 1870–1920

**W. Duke, Sons & Co.: Pioneers of Chromolithographic Trade Card Art** W. Duke, Sons & Co., an American tobacco manufacturer, emerged from the entrepreneurial vision of Washington Duke (1820–1905) and his sons in Durham, North Carolina. After the Civil War, Washington abandoned farming in 1874 to join his eldest son, Brodie L. Duke, in the burgeoning tobacco trade, establishing a factory that for...