Card Number 715, Lily Gray, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-3) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This trade card from the 1880s, featuring actress Lily Gray, was produced by W. Duke, Sons & Co. to promote their Cross Cut Cigarettes. The card depicts Gray in a theatrical costume, likely from a stage performance, as she stands confidently against a backdrop of decorative foliage. These trade cards, also known as "cigarette cards," were popular in the late 19th century and served as a form of advertising and collectible memorabilia. The Metropolitan Museum of Art holds this card, a small but captivating window into the history of American theater and the marketing of consumer goods.