Willard Eben Mains, Pitcher, St. Paul Apostles, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

Editor: Here we have "Willard Eben Mains, Pitcher, St. Paul Apostles" from the Old Judge series, created around 1889. It's a photographic print. The sepia tone gives it such a vintage feel, like a forgotten moment caught in time. The player’s gaze seems so focused and direct. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Oh, it’s more than just a snapshot, isn't it? For me, this piece whispers of dreams. He holds that baseball like it contains the very future he's imagined for himself. A tangible ambition! Think about the fleeting nature of fame, captured in something as ephemeral as a cigarette card. Doesn't it just get the mind wondering about legacy and time's passage? Editor: That makes me consider how mass-produced it was! Was it seen as disposable at the time? Curator: Precisely! Initially, perhaps, a promotional gimmick, almost tossed away like yesterday's news. But look at it now – revered! The photo's softness actually amplifies the resolute spirit, doesn’t it? Editor: I suppose it does. It’s like that tension is what makes it feel so dynamic now. Curator: Precisely! It’s like seeing an older version of baseball cards as it shifted from drawing or painting into photography. What feels commonplace today was groundbreaking back then. In many ways, still influential. What do you make of that? Editor: That actually completely reframes it for me; now it is both history and a work of art. It almost seems revolutionary now.