Frankie Raymond, from the Actresses series (N245) issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sweet Caporal Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

This petite albumen photograph, titled *Frankie Raymond, from Actresses series (N245)*, captures the allure of late 19th-century theater stardom. Issued in 1890 by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company to their Sweet Caporal Cigarettes, is one of many trading cards tucked into cigarette packs to entice collectors and boost sales. Measuring just 2½ × 1⅜ inches, this ephemera exemplifies the era's marketing ingenuity, transforming everyday tobacco products into gateways for popular culture fandom. The albumen process, a hallmark of 19th-century photography, involved coating paper with egg whites for a glossy surface that held fine silver halide details, allowing mass production of vivid portraits. Here, Frankie Raymond, a celebrated actress, gazes confidently, embodying the glamour of vaudeville and stage performers who captivated American audiences. These cards fueled a collecting craze, blending celebrity worship with consumer advertising and highlighting women's rising visibility in entertainment. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece offers a window into Gilded Age commerce and culture, where art met commerce in the palm of your hand. A delightful snapshot of history's promotional past!

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...