Judge, 1914-12-12 · page 17 of 24
Judge — December 12, 1914 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Johnnie Walker Whisky advertisement disguised as humorous editorial content** in Judge magazine (circa 1914). **The "Joke":** Three gentlemen discuss a fictional "non-refillable bottle" designed to prevent servants from secretly refilling themselves drinks. The humor plays on the punchline: when asked which gets filled—servant or bottle—the answer is "both," suggesting servants are habitual drinkers. **The Satire:** This gently mocks the widespread assumption that working-class servants were prone to pilfering alcohol from their employers' supplies—a common concern among wealthy households of the era. **The Advertisement:** The bulk of the page is actually promotional copy touting Johnnie Walker's quality, claiming the whisky "born 1820" has been aged over 10 years and that 1904 reserves were stockpiled to meet anticipated 1914 demand. **Historical Context:** This reflects early 20th-century class attitudes and servant-management anxieties, while presenting the product as premium and reliable. The ad cleverly uses humor to embed marketing messaging in what appears to be editorial cartoon content.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Born 1820 —Still going strong, First Gentleman : “Have You HEARD ABOUT THAT WONDERFUL ‘JOHNNIE WALKER’ NON-REFILLABLE BOTTLE?” ” Second Gentleman; “ NoN-REFILLABLE WHAT ? First Gentleman ; “ BotTLE—A BOTTLE THAT PREVENTS AN ABSENT-MINDED SERVANT FROM FILLING UP.” Second Gentleman: “ WHicH, THE SERVANT OR THE BOTTLE?” First Gentleman; “ Bora.’ The big demand for “ Johnnie Walker” Red Label in 1914 was anticipated and is amply provided for by the huge increases in reserve which were laid down in 1904. Every drop of “ Johnnie Walker” Red Label Whisky is over 10 years old. GUARANTEED SAME QUALITY THROUGHOUT THE WORLD. Agents: WILLIAMS & HUMBERT, 1158 Broadway, NEW YORK. JOHN WALKER & SONS, Ltp., Watsty DistitLers, KILMARNOCK. comicbooks.com