Dick Buckley, Indianapolis, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

Goodwin & Company produced this albumen silver print of Dick Buckley around 1888, as part of the "Old Judge Cigarettes" series. The albumen print, popular in the 19th century, was created by coating paper with egg white and then a silver nitrate solution. This process created a smooth, glossy surface ideal for capturing fine details. The process of photography was still relatively new at the time and closely tied to the expansion of mass media and advertising. By producing these cards at scale, Goodwin & Co were aiming to create new markets for baseball, and, of course, cigarettes. The mass distribution of such images was reflective of an increasingly consumerist culture, where even leisure activities like baseball could be commodified. The very act of collecting these cards became a form of consumption, directly tied to the sales of Old Judge Cigarettes. This seemingly simple baseball card, therefore, is more than just a portrait. It’s a window into the 19th-century world of industrial production, advertising, and the commodification of leisure. It asks us to consider the relationship between art, commerce, and popular culture.