Card Number 615, Edith Merrell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card from the 1880s advertising Cross Cut Cigarettes by W. Duke, Sons & Co. The card features a portrait of actress Edith Merrell, a popular figure in the American theater at the time. The card is part of a series of trade cards featuring actors and actresses, likely meant to be collected by smokers. These cards are examples of the use of popular culture imagery to promote products in the late 19th century, and they give us a glimpse into the world of entertainment during that era. The card is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City.