Life, 1887-10-20 · page 16 of 16
Life — October 20, 1887 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire or comics. It's from *Life* magazine (October 20, 1887), a publication that mixed satirical content with paid advertisements. The ads promote consumer goods typical of the Gilded Age: luxury pianos, champagne, spring water (claimed to prevent Bright's disease—a kidney ailment), Pears' Soap (emphasizing fair skin and bright complexion—reflecting period beauty standards), music boxes, cocoa, wines, and tailor services. Notable is the **Pears' Soap ad's focus on "Fair White Hands" and "Bright Clear Complexion,"** reflecting Victorian beauty ideals and the racial prejudices embedded in 19th-century marketing. These ads reveal what affluent Americans valued: imported luxuries, health tonics of questionable efficacy, and appearance-focused products. There are **no political cartoons visible**—just commercial imagery (cherubs, classical figures) meant to suggest elegance and refinement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
[Ocr. 20, 1887. CKE R Fair White Hands. DECK Bright Clear Complexion. Soft Healthfal Skin. MATCHLESS PIANOS 33 Union Square, N. Y. NDERWIOY PSPRING WH PUREST NATURAL WATER Healthful Cooling and Refreshing. Preventive of Bright's Disease. For Sale by all Druggists and Grocers. SEND FOR CIRCULARS. | PEARS’ SDAP YO. ET THE UNDE RW ooOD Co. GENERAL OFFICE, 18 VESEY ST., NEW YORK.| Most Economical Wears to For the Nursery. fone we _ For the Toilet. D E ie B E Cc K-+ Thinness of a Wafer. For Shaving. MUSIC BOXES We offer the DELBECK CHAMPAGNES | with a full conviction that there are ARE THE BEST. tter wines imported. | They play selections from all WE EXCEPT NONE. the Standard and Light Operas. EXTRA ORY, E. LAMONTAGNE & Sons, and the most Popular Music of . the Day. if we ; OR BRUT. BS. 58 ands? Bearer € Street. | Send ‘stamp for Descriptive READ “THE GOOD THINGS OF LiFE."| Price List to Beautifully Bound. Price, $2.50. M. J. PAILLARD & C0. | 4 en ae DuVivierxCo. For Sale at * Lire” Office, 28 West 23d Street, or of 680 B: wa Now York City. ' ieee aos <3"'49 Broan Sr, New York. Freperick A. Stokes & Brotuer, Publishers. | Fine Wines, Branoies xc. —— (Factory at STE, CROIX, SWITZERLAND.) GOLD MEDAL, PARIS, 1878. | BAKER'S CAVANAGH, SANDFORD & C0., a Breakfast Coc0a. mercuanr raitors Warranted absolutely pure Cocoa, from which the excess it has been AND IMPORTERS, emoved. It has three times the strength { Cocoa mixed with Starch, Arrowroot bs Sonn, web theciore ley ee ce 16 W. 23d St., opp. 5th Ave. Hotel, nomical, costing lets tham one cent a cup. EXTRA DRY and Procurable Everywhere. soroymhaoag o1quanoozg . EvELT y Howuann « It is delicious, nourishing, strengthening, | —NEW YORK — = 55-421 DEAVER se NY easily digested, and ‘admirably’ adapted < jours for invalids as well as for persons rts | health. Sold by Grocers everywhere. | Ladies’ Tailor-made Suits, Riding ae Habits, Ulsters, Jackets, etc., W. BAKER & C0., Dorchester, Mass | cael comicbooks.com