Captain Mackenzie, Chess, from the Goodwin Champion series for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen Cigarettes
Medium
Commercial color lithograph
Dimensions
sheet: 2 5/8 x 1 1/2 in. (6.6 x 3.8 cm)
Classification
Prints|Ephemera
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Jefferson R. Burdick Collection, Gift of Jefferson R. Burdick
Accession Number
63.350.214.162.19
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century advertising with *Captain Mackenzie, Chess*, diminutive yet captivating commercial color lithograph produced by Goodwin & Company in 1888. This tiny card (just 2⅝ × 1½ inches) from the Goodwin Champion series honors George Henry Mackenzie, the renowned Scottish-American chess master as "The Chess King." Captured in profile, it celebrates his prowess in the intellectual sport of chess, blending portraiture with promotional flair for Old Judge and Gypsy Queen cigarette. These cards were ephemera gems tucked into cigarette packs, sparking a collecting ...
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...