Clarkson, Pitcher, Chicago, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1887

This baseball card, printed by Goodwin & Company in 1887, is made of paper, with a photographic image transferred onto it. It depicts Clarkson, a pitcher for Chicago. The photograph itself would have been a relatively new technology, requiring a skilled photographer and specialized equipment. Transferring the image onto paper, and producing it in multiples, involved industrial printing techniques, which were becoming increasingly sophisticated at this time. The card is small and relatively simple, but its existence speaks to the growing intersection of mass production, advertising, and leisure in late 19th-century America. These cards were included in packages of Old Judge Cigarettes, incentivizing repeat purchases while cultivating customer loyalty through America's favorite pastime. It suggests how sport heroes were used to promote an industry – tobacco – that was coming under scrutiny even at this time. Ultimately, this object's value lies not just in its image, but in its role as a small artifact within a much larger economic and social picture, blurring the lines between collectible art and commercial product.