Life, 1891-02-12 · page 2 of 14
Life — February 12, 1891 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This page is primarily an **advertisement for Ivers & Pond pianos**, not satirical content. The illustration depicts a domestic scene where a woman stands beside a man seated at a piano, with sheet music visible. The quoted caption—"Call me what instrument you will—you can fret me, you cannot play upon me" (from Hamlet)—is a literary reference used as a sales hook. The ad argues that an old, deteriorated piano damages one's musical reputation and children's taste, urging readers to purchase a new "first-class" piano instead, offering trade-in value for old instruments. The "Hamlet" quote cleverly plays on musical terminology ("fret") while suggesting the piano itself cannot be manipulated or compromised—implying quality and reliability of Ivers & Pond's product.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1E WHAT INSTRUMENT YOU WILL—YOU CAN FRET ME—VOU CANNOT PLAY UPON ME."—Hamict, pT tone of your old piano has deteriorated so gradually you have not realized it, but it is really very, very bad, compared to any modern and new upright or grand of the first class. q You have no right to ask a musical guest to play on it or to listen to your performance on it: nor should you vitiate your children’s taste by having them practice on it, BUY A NEW ONE OF SOME FIRST-CLASS MAKE. Before buying any, write us for free catalogue and information. We will allow a fair value for your old Piano in exchange. WE SHIP ON APPROVAL. piano to be returned at our expense for railway freights both ways if it prove unsatisfactory on trial in your home Distance makes no difference, 1 mile or 2,000 miles are no more obstacle to us than a city block in Boston. Terms of payment to suit your reason- able convenience. IVERS & POND PIANO COMPANY, MASONIC TEMPLE, 183-186 TREMONT ST., BOSTON, MASS. OUR LATEST STYLES CAN BE SEEN AT J. G RAMSDELL'S, : Street. Philadelphia. W. J. DYER & BROTHER'S, St. Paul and Minneapolis. F. H. CHANDL 300 Street, Brooklyn PHILIP WERLEIN’S, 1 pal Street, New Orleans. G. W. HERBER $ East 17th Strect, New York. SANDERS & STAYMA) Baltimore, Washington and Richmonc AYRES & WYGANT CO., 184 Wabash Avenue, Chicago. KOHLER & CHASE, San Francisco, Cal. comicbooks.com