George Edward "Ed" Andrews, Center Field, Philadelphia, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

Editor: This is a baseball card, featuring George Edward "Ed" Andrews, Center Field for Philadelphia. It's from the Old Judge series of 1887, produced by Goodwin & Company for their Old Judge Cigarettes. It’s an albumen print. I’m struck by how this simple card represents labor and leisure at the time. What's your perspective on it? Curator: This piece truly showcases how the burgeoning mass production capabilities were interwoven with burgeoning leisure activities. It is printed photography married to commerce: consider the cigarette company commissioning the work and using the image as both collectible and advertisement. Editor: It's fascinating to think about the card as a product itself. Were these kinds of commercial prints considered "art" at the time, or something else entirely? Curator: That's the key question, isn't it? Definitions are constantly negotiated, in relation to shifting means of production and consumption. These baseball cards would likely not be considered fine art, however, the craftsmanship to capture and produce such detailed photographs should not be understated. Mass production doesn't necessarily equate to diminished artistry; here, it democratized portraiture while serving capitalist expansion. Notice the name "Old Judge," alluding to concepts of wisdom, respect and power, which aim at conferring value to the merchandise sold. Editor: I never thought of it that way, seeing it as a convergence of commercial and artistic practices. It really challenges that traditional divide between art and, well, everything else. Curator: Exactly! Examining its materials, production, and consumption offers an insightful view into the late 19th-century social context.