Miss Beesly, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-8) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1890 - 1895

This sepia-toned photograph, "Miss Beesly," is part of a series of trade cards created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. between 1890 and 1895 to promote Duke Cigarettes. The portrait captures a woman dressed in a fashionable late 19th-century gown with frills and lace, holding a flower, a common motif in Victorian portraiture. This collectible card, now part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection, reflects the era's fascination with theater and its performers, showcasing the commercial strategies employed by tobacco companies in the late 19th century.