Card Number 251, Lester, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card from the 1880s that was issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. This particular card features a portrait of the actress Lester, who is shown in a performance costume, holding a prop. These cards are considered to be examples of early ephemera and were widely distributed in the late 19th century. This particular card, "Card Number 251, Lester," is part of the "Actors and Actresses" series (N145-2) and is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.