Lovett, Pitcher, Brooklyn, from the series Old Judge Cigarettes
Medium
Albumen photograph, cabinet card
Dimensions
sheet: 6 1/2 x 4 3/8 in. (16.5 x 11.1 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
63.350.214.173.10
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the bustling world of 1880s baseball with this cabinet card photograph from Goodwin & Company's iconic *Old Judge Cigarettes*. Titled *Lovett, Pitcher, Brooklyn*, captures Tommy Lovett, a star hurler for the Brooklyn Briderooms (precursors to the Dodgers), in a poised studio portrait. Produced in 1888, this 6½ × 4⅜-inch albumen print—made by coating paper with egg whites for sharp, luminous detail—was a promotional insert tucked into cigarette packs, blending sports heroism with tobacco marketing. These ephemera cards hold immense historical value, documenting the raw energy of base...
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...