J. Arundel, Catcher, Indianapolis, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: Here we have an intriguing piece from 1887, titled "J. Arundel, Catcher, Indianapolis," part of the "Old Judge" series by Goodwin & Company. It seems to be a photograph printed for Old Judge Cigarettes. There's something very stoic about his posture, almost Roman. What do you make of this portrait, knowing it was, in a way, early advertising? Curator: Ah, yes. I find these images hauntingly beautiful. Consider the time. Photography was still finding its footing, yet here it is, embracing commerce, immortalizing a working-class hero. The very air around the image feels sepia-toned with nostalgia, don't you think? Almost as if the artist intuitively knew he was capturing a fleeting moment of Americana, packaged with a puff of smoke, destined for collectors’ hands. Editor: Collectors' hands, and presumably pockets! I mean, did they foresee baseball card collecting as a 'thing' back then? Curator: Probably not in the way we understand it today! Though human nature being what it is, people collect just about anything. I wonder if J. Arundel himself ever imagined he'd be perpetually caught in this stance, gazing from countless cards. And think about the genius of Goodwin & Company: pairing athleticism with... well, the less healthy pursuit of smoking. There's an irony there, don’t you agree? A slightly mischievous juxtaposition! Editor: Definitely an interesting mix of virtue and vice! It kind of humanizes advertising from that period for me. It's more than just a sales pitch. Curator: Exactly! And isn't it incredible how a small card like this can whisper volumes about society, about aspirations, and even about the things we choose to ignore? Editor: It truly does. I'll certainly be looking at those old cigarette cards with new eyes now! Curator: As will I. Now I am imagining him stepping out of the picture! A faint smell of cigar in the air, you see...