Judge, 1891-06-06 · page 13 of 20
Judge — June 6, 1891 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Williams' Shaving Soap using P.T. Barnum, the famous 19th-century showman and circus impresario, as its celebrity endorser. The central conceit is a puzzle: covering the faces of smaller portrait sketches reveals they resemble Barnum's central large portrait—the visual joke being that Barnum's distinguished appearance depends entirely on being clean-shaven with the soap. The caption suggests Barnum "might have looked" worse without it. The advertisement includes testimonial from W.B. Roberts, Barnum's valet, claiming he shaved Barnum over 4,000 times across 12 years using this soap exclusively. The "moral" section lists claimed medical benefits (curing pimples, sycosis, blood poisoning, and contagious skin diseases). This leverages Barnum's celebrity status and reputation for honesty ("an honest, open countenance") to sell grooming products—a common marketing tactic of the period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cover all the faces with slips of paper, below the dotted lines, You will then e upper parts are all exactly the same, Now uncover, and compare with the large central figure. ‘This will show you how Mr. Barnum might have looked, but for the famous Wi.iaMs’ SHAVING Soap. THe GREATEST AND BEST Stow on Eartu Is an honest, open countenance, Tue man whose “Face was his ForTUNE” 4 Williams’ Shaving Soap. lifelong yer Kezp the face SHAVEN, by all means. 1st. It Zooks better, and, ad. It tends to better Aealth— so physicians say, If you shave yourself— Use Wittiams’ Soar, H If shaved by your Barber, ask Aim to Use WILLtAMs’ Soar. Pimptes, Sycosis, BLooD Poisonina AND ALL CoNTAGioUs SKIN Diseases: speedily!cured by WIitiams’ SHavinc Soap, comicbooks.com “7 shaved Mr, Barnum over Four Thousand Times, performing the operation every morning for 12 years—or 4,880 Mr. W. B, Ronerts, for many years Mr. BARNUM’s valet and constant attendant, writes as follows : 4 Thousand “me: in Wyatt B. Roserts, Valet. (Signed) AVING Soar, finding it f0 be the most satisfactory. It is superior to all others—Pure, Rich and Most DELICATE. “ Bripcerort, Conn., May 14, 1800 " TIMES.