Leighton, Center Field, Omaha Omahogs/ Lambs, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This is a baseball card, made around 1889 by Goodwin & Company, using photographic and printing processes. This card features Leighton, Center Field for the Omaha Omahogs, and was one in a series of baseball cards issued as promotional items for Old Judge Cigarettes. Photographic baseball cards were printed using albumen silver prints, where a thin layer of egg white emulsion was applied to paper and exposed to light through a negative. The resulting images were then affixed to card stock, with printing added to promote the company, and baseball player. The sepia color we see is due to the chemical composition of the albumen print. The practice of including cards with consumer items served to market both the product and the players. The intensive labor and industrial processes involved in producing these cards are tied to a wider social issue of mass production and consumerism. It's an interesting piece of ephemera, whose meaning is enriched by understanding its original context.