Card Number 91, Casperone Group, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card from the 1880s advertising Duke Cigarettes. The card features a photograph of a group of actors known as the Casperone Group, who likely performed in theatrical productions. The card is part of a series that promoted Duke Cigarettes, and would have been given away to consumers during this time period. The card exemplifies trade card advertising, which was an important method for reaching a wide audience in the 19th century. The photograph itself is reminiscent of early photographic portraiture, capturing the actors in a casual, unposed manner. The card is currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.