1st Base, from the Girl Baseball Players series (N48, Type 2) for Virginia Brights Cigarettes 1886 - 1888

This late 19th century card, made by Allen & Ginter for Virginia Brights Cigarettes, is more than just a piece of paper; it's a window into a culture undergoing rapid change. The chromolithographic process used to produce these cards involved layering multiple colors from etched stones, a laborious process that nonetheless allowed for mass production. In this case, "1st Base," from the Girl Baseball Players series, was aimed to promote cigarettes by using emerging images of women in sport. Note the contrast between the progressive subject matter, and the association with a product now known to cause profound health issues. The card’s small size speaks to its original context: tucked into a cigarette pack, a small reward for the consumer. The very fact that these cards were made and circulated points to a society increasingly organized around leisure, consumption, and even female empowerment. Ultimately, this unassuming card shows the complex relationship between image making, labor, and the emerging culture of consumerism.