Swartwood, Right Field, Brooklyn, from the Old Judge series (N172) for Old Judge Cigarettes
1887–90
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
63.350.214.172.201
Tags
Art Historical Context
This albumen photograph from the Old Judge series (N172) captures Harry Swartwood, a right fielder for the Brooklyn Bridegrooms, as one of the earliest-produced baseball cards. Issued Goodwin & Company between1887 and 189 to promote Old Judge Cigarettes, the diminutive card—measuring just 2 11/16 by 1 3/8 inches—features a studio portrait of the athlete in his uniform, reflecting the growing popularity of professional baseball during the sport’s formative years. Albumen prints like this one were the standard photographic process of the era, prized for their sharp detail and tonal range despit...
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...