Mortimer Martin "Mart" McQuaid, Right Field, Denver, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes 1889

This photographic card of Mortimer “Mart” McQuaid was produced around 1889, by Goodwin & Company as part of the Old Judge Cigarettes series. It's printed on thin paper stock, like many commercial items of the period. The sepia tones of the image result from a developing process called Albumen print, popular at the time for its relative ease and affordability, allowing for mass production. Each of these cards would have been made through a series of steps from mixing the chemicals to printing the image and cutting the final product. This card is as much about commodification as it is about baseball or photography. It reflects a specific moment in the late 19th century, where photography became entangled with consumer culture and the emerging cult of celebrity. It’s a small, mass-produced artifact, yet it provides a rich insight into the relationship between labor, leisure, and the burgeoning advertising industry of the time.