Card Number 380, Ellen Rossiter, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a trade card featuring actress Ellen Rossiter, part of the “Actors and Actresses” series issued by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their brand of Cross Cut Cigarettes. The card features a black and white portrait of Rossiter, likely taken from a theatrical production, and includes text that reads “Cross-Cut Cigarettes Are The Best, W. Duke Sons & Co.” The trade card is a small-scale example of the use of celebrity endorsements for commercial gain, common in the late 19th century.