Card Number 50, Adelaide Neilson, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-6) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Duke Cigarettes 1880s

This trade card, part of a series promoting Duke Cigarettes, features a portrait of the renowned 19th-century actress Adelaide Neilson. Created by W. Duke, Sons & Co. in the 1880s, the card showcases Neilson in a theatrical pose, her hand resting on her chin as she gazes thoughtfully off to the side. Dressed in a voluminous white gown and a large hat, she embodies the romantic ideals of the era. The trade card serves as a testament to the popularity of both cigarettes and stage actors during this period, combining commercialism with artistic representation.