Judge — January 30, 1915 — page 24: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **champagne advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes "Great Western" champagne, made by Pleasant Valley Wine Company in Rheims, New York. The ad features a fashionable woman in an elegant hat with a black bow, presented as aspirational imagery to sell the product. The slogan "Right in Style (À la Mode)" emphasizes social prestige and fashion consciousness. The key selling point is nationalist pride: "Made in America — Highest Honors in France." The ad claims Great Western is "the Only American Champagne ever awarded a Gold Medal at Foreign Expositions," listing multiple international awards (Paris 1880, 1900, 1897; Vienna 1873; Brussels 1897, 1910). For modern readers: This reflects early 20th-century American confidence in domestic manufacturing and the prestige of French validation—American producers were competing with established European champagne houses by emphasizing quality recognition from prestigious European competitions.