Judge, 1925-05-23 · page 12 of 36
Judge — May 23, 1925 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# "The First Salesman" - Judge Magazine Satire This page satirizes aggressive early-20th-century sales tactics. The top cartoon shows a salesman who has literally stripped down to seduce a busy executive into a sale, using flattery about golf to bypass his resistance—the ultimate "foot-in-the-door" technique. The three brief dialogues below illustrate salesmanship absurdities: a "Busy Executive" who claims to have no time yet gets drawn into lengthy golf conversation; a bookkeeper being fired after decades of loyal service; and the irony of the salesman pivoting from personal rapport-building to suddenly pitching "Oscillating Safety Pins"—revealing the transaction was manipulative all along. The bottom jokes ("Funnybones") mock related social hypocrisies: barber shops that exploit customers, and women treated as commodities in marriage or divorce. The satire targets how salesmen use charm and false friendship to exploit targets' vanity and inattention.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Salesmanship Any Office—Anytime—Anywhere USY EXECUTIVE—No, 1 don’t need anything to-day, I'm in a rush now. I've got to get away. Got a golf foursome on with two big clients and one small one, but he’s taking thyroid and I think he'll grow. Salesman (taking off his hat, coat and rubbers)—Oh, so you play golf? I'll bet you shoot a mean game. I fool around with the game abit myself. B. E.—What do you make The White Wing's course in? Saleman—Oh, I dabble around in about 135. B. E.—Well, I broke a hundred on that course last week. The best game of golf I ever shot. You know that water hole between the third and fourth? And you know the The first salesman. bunker just before it and the rough on the other side? Well, I had a mean lay in the bunker and so forth for an hour and a half. BookkEErer—I'te grown old and gray in your service, Mr. Boggs and— Boccs—Oh, yes. Thanks for re- minding me. I must get a younger man for your job. Salesman—Sure we can get to- gether sometime. I'm a member of the Bootblack Club and I'd like you to spend a day on our course. You'd never play anywhere else. Oh, by the way, I've forgotten how many of our new Oscillating Safety Pins did you say you needed? B. E.—Might’s well make it five gross and then I won't have to bother re-ordering again for awhile. Shall we make it a date for next Thursday? Fine! Carroll Sate Many men go in for a shave, and come out trimmed. \Eunnybones; Some women are giren away at the wedding, and others in the divorce court. \_ J wwnaunaseain one will poy 85 for Gach one printed 7 comicbooks.com