Hilda Clark, from the Actresses series (N246), Type 1, issued by Kinney Brothers to promote Sporting Extra Cigarettes 1888 - 1892

This is a trade card featuring actress Hilda Clark, from the Actresses series. It was created by the Kinney Brothers Tobacco Company between 1888 and 1892 to promote their Sporting Extra Cigarettes. The image shows Clark in a close-up portrait, looking off to the side. She is wearing a simple white blouse with a delicate necklace around her neck and a dramatic, feathery boa around her shoulders. The card is printed in sepia tones, which gives it a vintage and nostalgic feel. This is a great example of how early advertising used celebrity endorsements to promote products. It is now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.