Niran & Darelle, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co.

Niran & Darelle, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-7) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

drawing, print

portrait

pencil drawn

drawing

aged paper

toned paper

photo restoration

print

old engraving style

personal sketchbook

coloured pencil

19th century

men

watercolour illustration

watercolor

This trade card, likely printed in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co., is from the “Actors and Actresses” series. Featuring the actresses Niran and Darelle, the card showcases a popular advertising tactic of the time: leveraging the popularity of performers to sell tobacco products. This card, part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art collection, exemplifies the use of visual imagery and celebrity endorsements in early advertising.