Judge, 1892-01-02 · page 15 of 18
Judge — January 2, 1892 — page 15: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. The page uses a split-face comparison diagram to promote Williams' Shaving Soap against unnamed "cheap" competitors. **The Visual Gimmick:** A man's face is divided vertically—one side lathered with Williams' Soap (labeled with positive attributes: "Pure, Rich, Healing"), the other with generic "cheap soap" (labeled "Dangerous," "Disagreeable," "dries quickly"). **The Sales Pitch:** Williams claims superiority through purity and safety. The ad warns that cheap soaps contain "impure fats, scraps and refuse—pregnant with disease germs" that cause serious skin diseases like scrofula and barber's itch. It even quotes a French physician's authority to legitimize these claims. **Historical Context:** This reflects late 19th/early 20th-century advertising tactics: fearmongering about product quality, medical-sounding claims, and appeals to class consciousness (buying cheap = risking disease). The offer of free samples suggests direct-mail marketing was emerging. There is no political content or identifiable caricatures—this is straightforward competitive advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Tuts Siok is lathered with WILLIAMS’ Swavinc Soar. Pore, Ric, Hraume. “ Cura” Soar used this side. Daxcrrovs— because impure. Drcacrreanur— because it dries quickly— draws the skin— smarts—irritates, Dip You Ever Try Tuts? You will notice that the lather looks and feels like rich, Lather one side with Wixtiams’ Soar. delicious cream, If your face is smarting from the cold, biting winds, it cools and cures it. If it is sore from the use of cheap and impure soaps (caution your Barber against them), Wittiams’ Soap takes out the poison and gives immediate relief. It is the most delicate Batu and Torte Soar. Prevents “chapping,” cures and invigorates, Ask your Bauer for a pack- age (6 cakes) 4oc. FREE. Pay postage. Now test the lather made by “cheap” kinds; notice the odor—strong, rancid, offensive. Cheap ingredients are used in “cheap” shaving Soaps. Impure fats, scraps and refuse —pregnant with disease germs—reeking with impurities, These breed and spread the most terrible diseases of the skin—Scrofula, Barber’s Itch— Sycosis. Dr. Reveil, the famous French physician, in an ad- dress before the Paris Academy of Medicine, said : “Cheap soaps contain animal matter, which emits a bad smell when its solution ts left exposed to the air, and becoming rancid causes CHRONIC INFLAMMATION OF THE SKIN." Urge your Barner to use Witttams’ Soar. Famous the world over for Purity and Properties, Recommended by ns. Used by all first-class BARBERS. If you would like to try Wittiams’ BarneRs’ Soar—for Toitet use—we shall be glad to send you a SAMPLE CAKE on receipt of 2c., to We can mail you a pound package—neatly packed—for 4oc. in stamps. “This is enough to last you six months. Address THE J. B, WILLIAMS CO., Giastonnury, Cons, The praises of WiLLiAMs' famous GeNuINE YANKEE SHAVING Soar are sung in every town, village and hamlet throughout the civilized world, comicbooks,