Card Number 117, Louise Dempsey, 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, produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their "Cross Cut Cigarettes." The card features an image of actress Louise Dempsey, a popular stage performer of the era. The card is a prime example of the use of celebrity endorsements in advertising, a practice that remains common today. The image is a typical photographic portrait of the time, rendered in sepia tones. The trade card, with its bold lettering and simple layout, exemplifies the graphic design aesthetic of late 19th-century advertising.