Gleason, Shortstop, Philadelphia Athletics, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This card, "Gleason, Shortstop, Philadelphia Athletics", was made in 1888 by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. Its humble materials – cardboard and photographic emulsion – belie a sophisticated system of production and consumption. These cards were essentially advertisements, inserted into cigarette packs to stiffen them and entice customers. Photography at this time was still a relatively complex process, involving specialized knowledge and equipment. The images would have been captured using large format cameras, then contact-printed onto the cards. Imagine the scale of labor involved in producing thousands upon thousands of these collectibles! The card’s design also reflects the values of the time, celebrating athleticism and projecting an image of wholesome masculinity. It speaks to the rise of baseball as a professional sport, and to the intertwined histories of leisure, commerce, and image-making. So, next time you see a small object like this, consider the vast network of materials, processes, and social forces that brought it into being.