Josie A. Hall, from the Actors and Actresses series (N171) for Old Judge Cigarettes
1886–90
Medium
Albumen photograph
Dimensions
sheet: 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 in. (6.9 x 3.5 cm)
Classification
Photographs|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
63.350.215.171.350
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the glittering world of 19th American theater with this petite albumen photograph of Josie A. Hall, a actress from Goodwin & Company's *Actors and Actresses* series (N171). between 1886 and 1890, this tiny card—measuring just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches—was tucked into packages of Old Judge Cigarettes as a promotional insert. Albumen prints, made by coating paper with egg whites and silver salts, captured sharp details and warm tones, making them ideal for mass-produced portraits that fueled the era's trading card craze. These ephemera cards were more than collectibles; they democratized...
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...