Stemmyer, Pitcher, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is "Stemmyer, Pitcher, Boston, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes," made in 1887 by Goodwin & Company. It’s a print – almost like a baseball card, really. The sepia tones give it such a vintage feel. What catches your eye about this work? Curator: What strikes me is the immediate connection between consumption, labor, and identity construction. Here, we have a baseball player, a representation of athleticism and perhaps emerging American ideals, being directly tied to a tobacco product. Editor: Right, the Old Judge Cigarettes branding is pretty prominent. Curator: Exactly. And consider the production of this print. It's mass-produced, meant for wide distribution. This wasn't fine art destined for a gallery; it was disposable ephemera, cheaply made to boost sales of cigarettes. Editor: So, you’re focusing on the means of its creation? Curator: Precisely. Think about the labor involved: the photographer, the printers, the workers packaging the cigarettes with these cards. It's all part of a larger system of industrial production and marketing. Does the subject himself profit directly or does he sign a contract in return for representation and advertisement? Editor: It shifts how I see it. It’s not just a picture; it’s a commodity in itself. It’s almost like the baseball player becomes just another ingredient in the Old Judge Cigarette brand, packaged and sold to consumers. Curator: Indeed. And this conflation highlights the ways in which identity, celebrity, and consumption became intertwined during this period of industrial expansion. Do we, in fact, even know this player? Editor: That’s a really interesting point – a powerful and cautionary reminder about the system that allows for its creation and for what ends! I will certainly look at advertising differently going forward.