Frederick B. "Ned" Jevne, Left Field, Minneapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is Frederick B. "Ned" Jevne, Left Field, Minneapolis, a photographic print made in 1888 by Goodwin & Company. The image was designed to be included in packs of Old Judge Cigarettes. The albumen print process, which was used for this card, involved coating paper with egg white and then exposing it to light through a negative. The resulting image has a distinctive sepia tone, which is very much of its time. While the image seems straightforward, it actually sits at the intersection of several industries: photography, baseball, and tobacco. Consider how this convergence of image, sport, and commodity speaks to the rise of consumer culture in the late 19th century. These cards were produced in vast quantities, relying on factory production and cheap labor. The image on the card becomes a small token in a much larger exchange between the manufacturer and the consumer, showing the degree to which everyday life was becoming industrialized. By focusing on its making, we can appreciate how this seemingly simple baseball card is deeply embedded in social and economic history.