John Irwin, 3rd Base, Washington Nationals, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This is a baseball card from the Old Judge series, created by Goodwin & Company around 1887, featuring John Irwin, 3rd Base for the Washington Nationals. The sepia tones and textured surface give the card an antique feel. Irwin is captured in a crouched fielding position. The composition is strikingly direct. Irwin's figure dominates the frame, his gaze fixed, creating an immediate connection with the viewer. The symmetry in his posture, with hands resting on his knees, provides a stable base, while the blurred background suggests a staged, rather than action-filled moment. This constructed reality invites a semiotic reading. The card functions as a sign, not just of Irwin but of baseball, masculinity, and the burgeoning commercial culture of the late 19th century. The typography below Irwin further reinforces this message. "Old Judge Cigarettes" links athletic prowess with consumerism. The card’s materiality – its small size and collectible nature – suggests that meaning is not fixed but fluid, subject to exchange, interpretation, and ultimately, the values we project onto it.