Card Number 197, Miss Ray, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

"Card Number 197, Miss Ray," from the "Actors and Actresses" series, is a promotional trading card for "Cross Cut Cigarettes" produced in the 1880s. The card features a black and white photograph of actress Miss Ray in a theatrical pose, holding a glass and seated on a fringed drapery. The card is a prime example of trade cards used for advertising purposes in the 19th century, offering a glimpse into the world of late 19th-century theater and the popularity of cigarette cards as collectible ephemera. The image, part of a larger set, was issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co., a major tobacco company, and is now part of the collection at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.