Card Number 587, Lillian Grubb, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This black and white photograph of actress Lillian Grubb is part of a series of trading cards issued in the 1880s to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes by the W. Duke, Sons & Co. tobacco company. The card features Grubb in a theatrical pose, wearing a hat and a fashionable outfit. The image is a classic example of a carte de visite, a type of small photographic portrait popular in the 19th century. These cards were often collected and exchanged, and provided a glimpse into the lives of popular figures of the day.