Card Number 118, Fay Templeton, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card, a type of advertisement, featuring Fay Templeton, a popular American actress in the late 19th century. The card was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their "Cross Cut Cigarettes" in the 1880s. The card shows a portrait of Templeton, who is dressed in a feathered hat and a long, flowing gown. The card is a prime example of a popular form of advertisement in the late 19th century, which used the likeness of well-known celebrities to endorse products. The card's visual style is typical of late 19th-century photography and is a testament to the rising use of celebrity endorsements in advertising. This card, "Card Number 118, Fay Templeton, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes", can be found at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.