Charles William "Charlie" Ganzel, Catcher, Detroit Wolverines, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This baseball card of Charlie Ganzel, Detroit Wolverines catcher, comes to us from 1887, produced by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. It is a simple albumen print, a process by which paper is coated in egg white to create a glossy surface on which a photographic negative can be printed. Consider how the albumen printing process would have shaped the appearance of this baseball card. The glossy surface of the print enhances the details of the image, adding a sense of depth and richness to the sepia tones. The albumen gives the card a smooth, almost porcelain-like quality, which also makes the colors appear more vibrant. It would have taken patience and skill to produce a sharp, well-toned image on such a small scale. These cards were given away with cigarettes as a way of encouraging brand loyalty. In this way, they were a direct extension of the means of production, rewards for laborers, and early examples of advertising and commercialization of sports. They blur the boundaries between commercial ephemera and valued artworks.