Card Number 8, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-1) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This 1880s trade card features a portrait of an unidentified actress, promoting the "Cross Cut" brand of cigarettes. The card is part of the "Actors and Actresses" series, issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co., a prominent tobacco company. The image is a simple yet effective visual, capturing the actress in a three-quarter profile, gazing thoughtfully off to the side. The trade card, measuring only 2 1/2 x 1 3/8 inches, reflects the popular use of collectible cards for advertising in the late 19th century, and provides a glimpse into the history of tobacco marketing and popular culture.