Card Number 99, Lillian Russell, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This trade card, featuring actress Lillian Russell, was created in the 1880s by W. Duke, Sons & Co., the makers of Cross Cut Cigarettes. The card is part of the "Actors and Actresses" series issued by the company as a form of advertising. The image shows Russell in a theatrical pose, seated on a chair and gazing at the viewer. This promotional item, measuring 2 5/8 × 1 7/16 inches, is an example of early 20th-century advertising and is now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art.