Life, 1889-02-28 · page 16 of 22
Life — February 28, 1889 — page 16: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **fashion advertisement**, not political satire. It shows Messrs. John Redfern & Sons announcing their spring 1899 season collections. The illustration depicts six fashionably dressed women in elaborate 1890s gowns with the ornate styling typical of that era—high collars, voluminous skirts, decorative trim, and elaborate hats. The decorative header features a coat of arms, suggesting the company's prestige. The text advertises "Original Models of Gowns, Coats and Bats" (likely "Bats" meaning bonnets or hats) designed at their branches in New York, London, Cowes, and Paris. They're promoting exclusive imported fabrics and two New York showroom locations. This is a high-end luxury fashion announcement typical of *Life* magazine's advertising content, targeting wealthy women patrons—not editorial commentary or political cartoons.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
announcing to their lady-patrons that their arrangements for the ensuing season are now comp! The ORIGINAL Models of Gowns, Goats and Bats, designed and produced by them at their branches in REW YORK, KONDON, @OWES and PARI can be seen IN THEIR ENTIRETY, together with the largest stock f IMPORTED EXCLUSIVE CLO THS: in the United States, at their Showrooms, 210 Fifth Avenue, m=» 132 Broadway, 2. y comicbooks.com