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

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American baseball with this petite albumen photograph from Goodwin & Company's iconic Old Judge series (N172), produced in 1889. Titled *Mortimer Martin "Mart McQuaid, Right, Denver*, it captures focused gaze and poised stance of McQuaid, a skilled outfielder for the Denver team baseball's explosive early professional era. At just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches, this card was originally tucked into Old Judge cigarette packs as a clever marketing ploy, enticing smokers—and budding collectors—with portraits of sports heroes. The Old Judge series stands as a landmark in ephemera and sports history, documenting over 1,700 players from the late 1880s and early 1890s, when baseball transitioned from amateur pastime to national obsession. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg-white emulsion for sharp detail and warm tones, were the gold standard for affordable photography then, making these cards both artistic feats and cultural snapshots. Today, housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this piece highlights how commerce fueled fandom, preserving the faces of unsung athletes like McQuaid amid the sport's golden age. A tiny window into leisure, promotion, and portraiture's power!

About the Artist

Goodwin & Company · 1850–1950

**Goodwin & Company (ca. 1850–1950)** Goodwin & Company, originally established as E. Goodwin and Brother before the American Civil War, emerged as a prominent New York City-based tobacco manufacturer in the mid-19th century. Operating from the bustling heart of Manhattan, the firm built its reputation on popular cigarette brands such as Gypsy Queen and, most notably, Old Judge, which became syno...