Card Number 35, Ada Richmond, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional card made in the United States, sometime between 1870 and 1920, by W. Duke, Sons & Co. as part of an Actors and Actresses series to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. Commercial cards like this one were essentially vehicles for advertising; a way to promote smoking by associating it with beauty, celebrity, and leisure. What makes this particular example interesting is the way it connects to a broader history of image making and the theater. In the late 19th century, popular actresses like Ada Richmond were tastemakers and style icons. To put it simply, the image suggests that if you smoke Cross Cut Cigarettes, you might be as alluring and successful as a celebrated actress. As historians, we can look at the history of advertising and tobacco production in America to understand better how this image would have been received and what kind of cultural work it performed. Ultimately, this card reflects the values and social structures of its time.