Actress in red and white striped knee socks, from Stars of the Stage, Second Series (N130) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Honest Long Cut Tobacco 1891

This chromolithograph, "Actress in red and white striped knee socks," from the Stars of the Stage, Second Series, was created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in 1891 to advertise Honest Long Cut Tobacco. The image depicts an actress in a theatrical costume, complete with a red beret, a red and green top, and red and white striped knee socks. This trade card, part of a larger series, reflects the popularity of theatrical imagery in advertising during the late 19th century. The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York houses this small, but captivating, artwork, which showcases the evolving world of commercial art and the rise of tobacco advertising.