Burns, Shortstop, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1888

This is a baseball card featuring a portrait of a player from the Brooklyn team, "Burns, S.S." from the 1888 Old Judge Cigarettes card series. The card is an example of the "trade card" genre, and was created by Goodwin & Company, a cigarette manufacturer. The image is a black and white photograph, showing the player holding a bat with a simple, unadorned background. The image is an example of "carte de visite" photography, a popular style for portraits and advertising in the 19th century.