Murray, Washington, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes

Art Historical Context

Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century American baseball with *Murray, Washington, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes*1888), a charming albumen print photograph produced by Goodwin & Company. cabinet card, measuring 6½ x 4⅜ inches, captures the poised portrait of Murray Washington, a notable athlete of the era. Albumen prints, made with egg white emulsion on paper, were the gold standard for sharp, detailed photography in the late 1800s, lending these images their luminous quality and rich tones. As part of the iconic Old Judge Cigarettes series, this piece exemplifies clever tobacco marketing: companies like Goodwin & Company inserted these cards into cigarette packs to entice collectors, fueling baseball's explosive popularity during its professional boom. Baseball stars became cultural icons, and these ephemera—classified as both photographs and promotional items—offer a snapshot of Gilded Age fandom and athletic heroism. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department, thanks to the Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, this card highlights the intersection of commerce, sport, and visual culture. It reminds us how everyday objects preserved baseball's early legends, bridging art, history, and America's pastime.

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...