Frederick " Fred" Herbert Carroll, Catcher, Pittsburgh, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is a baseball card from 1887 featuring Frederick "Fred" Herbert Carroll, a catcher for Pittsburg. It's a gelatin silver print, distributed by Goodwin & Company for Old Judge Cigarettes. I'm struck by the way it’s both a portrait of an athlete and also functions as advertisement. How do you see it? Curator: It's fascinating to consider this as an object embedded within a network of production and consumption. The card is not simply an image of an athlete, but a commodity itself, bundled with cigarettes and meant to be collected. It speaks to the rise of both mass media and celebrity culture, wouldn't you say? The means of producing and distributing this image - the photographic process, printing technology, and marketing strategies – become crucial elements of the artwork. Editor: Absolutely! The fact that this was a mass-produced item changes my understanding of its purpose and cultural value. Does the choice of gelatin silver print have a meaning? Curator: Indeed. Gelatin silver prints allowed for relatively inexpensive reproductions compared to earlier photographic methods, facilitating the mass dissemination crucial for advertising. Furthermore, consider the social context of labor. Who were the photographers, printers, and cigarette factory workers involved in creating this card, and what were their conditions of work? These cards are a product of complex socio-economic systems. Editor: That makes me think about the contrast between the celebrated athlete and the anonymous laborers whose work made this image possible. It’s much more layered now. Curator: Precisely. By examining the materials, processes, and social contexts, we reveal the hidden narratives embedded within the image itself. Editor: I see that! Thanks, I'll never look at these cards the same way again! Curator: Nor I. Considering it's value beyond a mere photograph really illuminates the broader cultural and economic forces at play.