Charles J. "Charlie" Ferguson, Pitcher, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Curator: Immediately, the sepia tones create such a palpable sense of history, like an unearthed artifact from baseball's nascent days. Editor: Indeed. We're looking at "Charles J. 'Charlie' Ferguson, Pitcher, Philadelphia," part of the Old Judge series (N172) created by Goodwin & Company around 1887. It’s fascinating because it exists as both a photograph and a print, designed as promotional material for Old Judge Cigarettes. Curator: Right. I see that tension—a staged photo carefully crafted into something disposable, almost ephemeral, though it captures this pitcher, his pose, his carefully maintained mustache… What does it say about turn-of-the-century ideals? What did he symbolize to smokers and fans at the time? Editor: The bat itself—it's not just wood; it represents ambition, aspiration, the burgeoning industry of professional sports. Notice how its heft seems to echo in Ferguson's own posture? He’s holding all the hopes of Philadelphia in his grip! And think about how cigarettes become aligned with peak athleticism via advertising: a ludicrous but telling connection. Curator: Certainly, the photograph seems staged, every detail is so deliberate—it speaks volumes about how image production worked then, compared to, say, candid modern photography. Yet, the romantic quality comes through regardless, even if subtly. His determined expression is meant to convey heroism. The cigarette branding is a way to associate virility and sports achievement with the habit of smoking. Editor: Consider also the physical labor behind this small piece of printed material. The camera work, the printing presses, the cutting, distributing alongside cigarettes—each action leaves an imprint of late 19th-century manufacturing practices. Every mark speaks of the machinery that produced it. Curator: It truly condenses layers of cultural meanings, social anxieties, commercial endeavors, all centered around the image of one man poised to perform an athletic skill, which itself became part of America's grand iconography. Editor: Looking at this little card lets us touch so many facets of that time! Thanks for sharing the image. Curator: My pleasure.