Life, 1888-01-12 · page 16 of 16
Life — January 12, 1888 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement page**, not a satirical cartoon page. It contains various commercial advertisements typical of late 19th/early 20th-century American magazines. The notable content includes: **Pears' Soap advertisement** (center): Prominently advertises the product with claims about "Fair White Hands," "Bright Clear Complexion," and "Soft Healthful Skin." This reflects period beauty standards emphasizing pale skin—associated with leisure class status and avoiding manual labor or sun exposure. The messaging is aspirational for middle/upper-class consumers. **Other ads**: Piano boxes, champagne importers, tailor services, dress stays, electric health devices, and miscellaneous products typical of the era. **Social context**: The prominent skin-lightening claims in Pears' advertising reflect Victorian-era prejudices about complexion and class status. These ads reveal what consumers were being sold and what values the magazine's audience held. This page lacks significant satire or political commentary—it's straightforward commercial advertising that inadvertently documents period attitudes about beauty, wealth, and consumption.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
EC KE F | : Fair White Hands. BROTHERS’ Bright Clear Complexion. METCHLESS Soft Healthful Skin. PIANOS 33 Union Square, N. Y. Paillard’s | ; mae, Fears BOXES ARE THE BEST ’ They play selections from all . PEARS SOAP the Standard and Light Operas — and the most Popular Music of the Day. ° Send stamp for Descriptive Most Economical Price List to For the Nursery. Wears to . Med 5 ERD Eo Thinness of a Wafer. Ear a — (Factory at STE. CROIX, SWITZERLAND.) DELBECK+ “BoucHE FILS & CO. EXTRA DRY and | Vineyards: MAREUIL-SUR-AY, Champagne. Branch Houses: NEW YORK, 37 BEAVER STREET. PARIS, 23 BOULEVARD Haussmann. Messrs, Bouché Fis & Co., of 37 Beaver Street, New York, beg to inform yq that, as a specialty for Holidays, they import their Champagne, Bouché Sec, In Fancy Baskets, G quarts . . $13.75 | In Fancy Baskets, 24 half pints . “ “ 2 pints . < . 14.50 “ “12 - . These Baskets are also to be had from Messrs, PARK & TILFORD, Messrs. ACKER, MERRALL & CONDIT, hk 7 AND LEADING MERCHANTS. 4 . = = We offer the DELBECK CHAMPAGNES Bet of Scrap Pictures, one with a full conviction that there are FUN CARDS ceicaranibee neers NEWPORT NEWS, VA. no better wines imported. to cents CAPITOL CARD COMPANY, Colusbat, Ohi NEAR OLD POINT COMFORT, WE EXCEPT NONE. wari DRESS STAYS E. LAMONTAGNE é& Sons, | gS wisi ix. | ne od ace i Re Fa ' application to C, B. ORCUTT, 150 Broadway, New Vo 53, 55 and 57 Beaver Street. | Thread, Cloth and Satin Covered. For Sale Everywhere. | SPPOSYON SIN ERTON, Managers Herel Ware Newport News, Va. Procurable Everywhere. soroymfroagy ofquinoorg 100 perc -PROn and SAMPLES FREE to men canvassers for Dr. Scott’s Gen- | CAVANAGH SANDFORD & 00 uine Electric Belts, Brushes, i :] "y |ete. Laay agents wanted for Electric Corsets. Quick sales, Write at once for terms. Dr. Scott, 842 Brway, N.Y. | q AK Gl MERCHANT TAILORS = ( Wipes | : | A VIN Bi AND IMPORTERS, ~ oi j Z MARECHALE-B \ P "| P MARECHALE -EXTRA Z 5 5 i ¢ oe 16 W. 23d St., opp. 5th Ave. Hotel, | : Fe | | DOSEVELT yy HowtanD « ; —NEW YORK — 7, AS i 55457 BEAVER Stn’ AGENTS TOR, Ladies’ Tailor-made Suits, Riding Habits, Ulsters, Jackets, etc., a Specialty. comicbooks.com