Lillie Howard, Corsair Co., from the Actors and Actresses series (N45, Type 1) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1885 - 1891

This is a trade card from the *Actors and Actresses* series, produced by Allen & Ginter to promote Virginia Brights cigarettes. It features a portrait of Lillie Howard, an actress from the Corsair Co., in a theatrical costume, likely from a performance. The card exemplifies a popular Victorian trend of promoting products using celebrity imagery and the rising popularity of tobacco use. The card is a prime example of ephemera used to promote a product and a snapshot of the burgeoning theatrical scene at the end of the 19th century.