Judge, 1897-01-02 · page 11 of 16
Judge — January 2, 1897 — page 11: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a product advertisement rather than satire or political cartoon. It promotes Williams' Shaving Soap to barbers and consumers, featuring an illustration of a barber applying soap to a customer's face. The ad's main pitch exploits **health anxiety about contamination**—a significant concern in the early 20th century. It warns that cheap soaps made from materials "gathered from house to house" could cause serious skin diseases, blood-poisoning, and eczema. This scaremongering was common in period advertising. The "Word to Barbers" section positions Williams as the premium, safe choice and encourages barbers to charge customers more for quality. The advertisement emphasizes the product's 60-year history and claims it's "the only Real Shaving Soap." The imagery and messaging reflect contemporary germ-theory anxieties and class-based marketing (expensive = safe/better), rather than political satire. It's vintage commercial persuasion through fear appeals about hygiene.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WILLIAMS’ Shaving Soap TENDER “Yes sir; that’s Williams’ Soap. Does good every time you use it.” Safe in Cold Weather Chapped faces invite blood-poisoning and contagious skin diseases. WILLIAMS’ Shaving Soaps — act like soft, rich, medicated CREAM — healing every irritation — They keep the face soft, fresh and comfortable the year ‘round. CAUTION — Insist that your Barber use none of the ordinary cheap and dangerous substitutes for WILLIAMS* Soaps. Such soops are composed of material gathered from house to house —in towns and cities, and is often found in tainted condition — throwing off germs prolific of most disgusting and torturing skin diseases. Thousands of cases are on record — showing that Soaps made of such material are the cause of untold suffering — disfigurement — and even loss of life. A WORD TO BARBERS! Let your customers know you have the best. Let them know that, during the past sixty years, thousands and thousands of tons of WILLIAMS? SHAVING ‘SOAP have been made, and never an ounce of impure material used. Let them know that your shop is not headquarters for ‘‘ cheap’ soaps and skin diseases; that you look out for your customers’ comfort and safety, and that you are not afraid to spend five cents a bar more for your soap when it means protection from eczema, scrofulous sores, and every form of disgusting skin disease that is sure to crop out in shops where impure soaps are found. Let your customers see that you use WILLIAMS’ SHAVING SOAP, the only Real Shaving Soap. FOO O FT OHH EH ED WILLIAMS’ SOAPS — * four principal forzns — are sold by Dealers everywhere. Williams’ Shaving Soap (Barbers). Luxury Shaving Tablet, 25c. Oldest and most famous cake of Peg og ese famlies Round —just fits the cup. Delightfully Shaving Soap in the world. seskss ta a tacsnert panera perfumed. “Genuine Yankee" Soap, 10c. Williams’ Shaving Stick, 25c. $ Trial tample for acent stamp. Norn. —If your dealer does not have these Soaps — we mail them — to any address — postpaid — on receipt of price. All four kinds sent for $1.00 in stamps. Address; THE J. B. WILLIAMS CO., Glastonbury, Ct., U. S. A. LONDON: 64 Great Russell Street, W. C. comicbooks.com