Card Number 107, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This trade card, part of the "Actors and Actresses" series issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes in the 1880s, features a portrait of an unidentified woman in a veil and elaborate headdress. The card is a prime example of 19th-century advertising and ephemera, highlighting the emerging popularity of tobacco products in the United States. The image's simple composition, featuring the woman's face against a plain background, is typical of trade cards of the period, reflecting the need for clear and recognizable imagery for a fast-growing market.