Emery J. "Moxie" Hengel, 2nd Base, Minneapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a trade card from 1888, featuring Emery J. "Moxie" Hengel, a second baseman for Minneapolis. It’s from the Old Judge series, produced by Goodwin & Company to promote their cigarettes. This small paper card is a photogravure, a printing process that transfers a photographic image onto a metal plate, which is then etched and used for printing. The technique allows for the reproduction of continuous tones, giving the image a soft, almost painterly quality. The card's materiality speaks volumes about the era. These cards were essentially ephemera, churned out as promotional items. Their existence depended on the mass production of cigarettes and the rise of professional baseball, both linked to industrialization and consumer culture. The photogravure process itself, while sophisticated, was employed here for a decidedly commercial purpose. These cards weren't intended as high art, but their survival allows us to reflect on the intersection of sports, commerce, and photographic reproduction, prompting us to question what we value and preserve from the past.