Card Number 12, Kate Vaughn, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This 1880s trade card features actress Kate Vaughn, promoting Cross Cut Cigarettes. The card was part of a series of cards featuring actors and actresses, issued by the tobacco company W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their brand. The image showcases Vaughn in a theatrical pose, holding a bird on her shoulder. The card is a fine example of late 19th-century trade card design, featuring detailed graphics and bold typography. The card is a great example of how companies used celebrity endorsements to promote their products in the late 19th century. Trade cards, such as this one, are now collected by enthusiasts of ephemera and historical advertising.