Michael J. Cody, Catcher, Des Moines Prohibitionists, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes
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
63.350.215.172.1814
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century baseball with this petite albumen photograph from Goodwin & Company's iconic Old Judge series (N), produced in 1889 to promote their cigarettes. Titled *Michael J. Cody, Catcher, Des Moines Prohibition*, it captures the stern gaze and poised stance of Cody, catcher for the Des Moines Prohibitionists—a minor league team named for the era's temperance movement, America's social push against alcohol amid the sport's rising popularity. Printed on a tiny sheet measuring just 2 11/16 x 1 3/8 inches, this ephemera exemplifies early photographic trade cards...
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...