May Robson, from the Actresses series (T1), distributed by the American Tobacco Co. to promote Turkish Trophies Cigarettes 1900

This is a chromolithograph, created by Frederick Moladore Spiegle in 1900, depicting actress May Robson for the American Tobacco Company’s Turkish Trophies cigarette brand. The card is part of a series of promotional trading cards that featured portraits of popular actresses. Spiegle’s painting depicts Robson in a formal pose, with her signature on the card below the image. It is an example of the use of celebrity endorsements in advertising at the turn of the 20th century. The card was likely intended to appeal to the burgeoning female consumer base of the time by showcasing a popular actress.