Card Number 36, Frankie Kemble, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 1880s advertising with *Card Number 36, Kemble*, a petite albumen photograph from the and Actresses series (N145-6), issued by W. Duke Sons & Co. to promote their Duke Cigarettes. This portrait (just 2 11/16 × 1 3/8 inches) captures the poised elegance of actress Frankie K, one of many celebrated performers featured in this collectible set. Trade cards like this were wildly popular giveaways, enticing smokers and collectors alike with glamorous images of stage stars. Produced using the albumen printing process—dominant in the 19th century for its sharp detail and warm tones—this ephemera exemplifies innovative commercial photography. Albumen, made from egg whites coated on paper, allowed mass reproduction of high-quality portraits at low cost, blending artistry with marketing savvy. During the Gilded Age, tobacco companies leveraged theater's allure to glamorize cigarettes, turning actresses into icons of sophistication and desire. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this card highlights how everyday promotions became cultural artifacts, preserving a snapshot of Victorian-era celebrity and consumer culture. A delightful glimpse into history's promotional past!

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...