Card Number 151, Miss Ada Richmond, from the Actors and Actresses series (N145-2) issued by Duke Sons & Co. to promote Cross Cut Cigarettes 1880s

This is a promotional cigarette card from around 1888, made by W. Duke, Sons & Co. These cards were originally included in cigarette packs to stiffen them, but quickly became popular advertising tools. Here, Miss Ada Richmond, an actress, is shown promoting Cross Cut Cigarettes, which, according to the card, 'are the best.' The commercialization of celebrity was well underway by this time. The card reflects a culture that was rapidly developing new forms of mass media and marketing, and that was eager to associate products with admired figures. It is worth noting that the actress is pictured in a sexually suggestive pose in line with the product she is advertising, revealing assumptions about the market demographic for cigarettes. To understand this image better, we can consult archives of advertising history, theater ephemera, and social histories of the late 19th century United States. These sources help us understand the convergence of entertainment, marketing, and social norms in this period.