Joseph H. "Joe" Mulvey, 3rd Base, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: So, here's a baseball card from 1887, featuring Joseph "Joe" Mulvey. It's from the "Old Judge" series, made by Goodwin & Company for their cigarette brand. It's fascinating—like a tiny window into the past, a gelatin-silver print, almost ghostly sepia tones. What do you see when you look at this piece? Curator: Oh, but more than a window— a wormhole! I'm drawn in by the almost nonchalant air about him; the subtle defiance in his moustache. He’s a player alright. Think about it: 1887, industrial revolution raging, and here's this snapshot of pure, unadulterated American pastime packaged with tobacco, feeding a different sort of national addiction. Almost feels sacrilegious, doesn’t it? Putting high art and baseball cards in the same room. What makes *him* worth immortalizing in print, I wonder? Editor: He just looks like a regular guy— maybe that was the appeal? Accessible, like baseball itself. Did people consider these things art back then? Curator: That’s the multi-million dollar question, isn't it? Probably not “art” in the highfalutin sense. More like a collectible, a little piece of celebrity, and a great piece of graphic design all in one. To your average smoker, these were probably as disposable as the ash from their cigarette. But look closer. Consider the composition, the light… that sepia wash is now an amber patina. Somebody saw beauty there, I think, whether consciously or not. The Japanese had the ukiyo-e tradition of printing everyday life. Maybe these were just the American version? Editor: So, it's almost like accidental art? Something made for one purpose that becomes something else entirely over time? Curator: Exactly! Sometimes the most profound art is found in the places we least expect it, isn't it? Editor: Wow, that gives me a lot to think about!