Robert Emmerke, Pitcher, 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
63.350.215.172.1784
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the vibrant world of 19th-century baseball with this petite albumen photograph Goodwin & Company's *Old Judge* series (N172), produced in 1889. Titled *Robert Emmerke, Pitcher, Des Moines Prohibitionists*, it captures the stern gaze and poised stance of Emmerke, a player for the minor-league Des Moines team—aptly named for the era's growing temperance movement. Measuring just 2 11/ x 1 3/8 inches, card was one of thousands inserted into Old Judge Cigarette packs, transforming everyday smokes into collectible treasures that fueled America's baseball craze. As ephemera from the Metrop...
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...