Bushong, Catcher, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a trade card of a baseball player named Bushong, made by Goodwin & Company for their Old Judge Cigarettes brand around 1888. These cards, called “cabinet cards,” were made through industrial photography and printing processes. Its sepia tone results from the chemical development of the photographic emulsion. These were mass-produced and included in cigarette packs to promote brand loyalty. The image itself is carefully staged. Bushong is idealized, not caught mid-action. His uniform is clean, and he holds the ball aloft in a classic pose, his glove a mark of his profession. While seemingly simple, this trade card exemplifies the intersection of labor, leisure, and commerce in the late 19th century. The production of tobacco products relied on the labor of countless workers, while baseball provided entertainment for the masses. These cards, in turn, were a commodity, a form of early advertising. The image's seemingly innocent depiction of a baseball player belies its connection to larger systems of production and consumption. It's a reminder that even the most everyday images are embedded in complex social and economic structures, challenging traditional distinctions between fine art and craft, and inviting us to consider the broader context in which they were made and circulated.