Card Number 243, Miss Vanness, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

"Card Number 243, Miss Vanness," from the *Actors and Actresses* series is a trade card from the 1880s issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes. The card features a portrait of Miss Vanness, a performer of the era, in a theatrical costume, holding a cigarette. The card is a prime example of the "trade card" genre, a form of advertising popular in the late 19th century. This specific trade card is part of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's collection in New York City. The card, measuring 2 5/8 × 1 7/16 inches, is a small but significant example of the intersection of advertising and entertainment history.