Life, 1887-06-30 · page 19 of 21
Life — June 30, 1887 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **insurance advertisement** for the United States Mutual Accident Association of New York. The accompanying satirical illustration depicts a skeleton or death figure perched atop a man's shoulders, holding a banner reading "INSURE BEFORE SITS" with "TOO LATE" written below. **The satire's point:** The grim reaper imagery mocks the desperation of accident insurance marketing—suggesting that without their coverage, death waits inevitably. The skeleton looming over an ordinary person embodies the sales tactic of fear-mongering: buy protection now or face catastrophe. **Historical context:** This reflects early 20th-century mutual insurance promotion, when accident/disability coverage was relatively novel and companies relied on stark mortality imagery to spur membership. The prominent display of "37,000 MEMBERS" suggests competitive marketing in a growing industry. The crude woodcut-style illustration typical of period *Life* magazine advertising uses dark humor to sell financial security—a classic example of fear-based marketing tactics.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
37,000 MEMBERS. THE UNITED STATES MUTUAL ACCIDENT ASSOCIATION OF NEW YORK, P. 0. BOX 851. Office, 320 and 322 Broadway, New York. NEW FEATURES: $10,000 DEATH BY ACCIDENT. $5,000 LOSS OF BOTH EYES. 10,000 LOSS OF HANDS OR FEET. 1,300 LOSS OF ONE EYE. 10,000 LOSS OF HAND AND FOOT. 2,500 FOR PERMANENT TOTAL DISABILITY. 5,000 LOSS OF HAND OR FOOT. 50 A WEEK FOR TOTALLY DISABLING INJURIES. The above combined insurance costs about $26 a year, or, One-Half or One-Quarter at Proportionate Rates. MEMBERSHIP FEE, $5 IN EACH DIVISION. CHAS. B. PEET, 4 JAS. R. PITCHER, President. Secretary and General Manager. comicbooks.com