Life, 1895-03-07 · page 19 of 20
Life — March 7, 1895 — page 19: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This single-panel cartoon satirizes American social pretension. Two men discuss Knox, apparently a hatmaker for European royalty. The joke hinges on a class commentary: while Knox makes hats for actual crowned European heads of state, he also supplies many "uncrowned" (ordinary) Americans who believe wearing such hats confers social status and "good breeding." The satire targets wealthy Americans' aspirational snobbery—their belief that adopting European aristocratic trappings will elevate their social standing. The term "cachet" (seal of authenticity/prestige) is used mockingly to suggest these Americans naively think a hat's origin automatically grants them respectability. This reflects Gilded Age anxieties about class mobility and the nouveau riche attempting to purchase legitimacy through association with European aristocracy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
. LEHN & FINK, Agents, New York. CROWNED AND UNCROWNED. SANpFoRD.—‘‘Is it true that Knox makes hats fur the crowned heads of Europe?” . Merton.—<* Yes, and for a multitude of uncrowned heads in America. They seem to think that it confers a cachet of good breeding upon them.” PEES| N AD Aids Digestio euchre CLUBS TRUMP, WHICH WINS? A\at ICYGLES. GRADES. ‘Warranted superior to any Bicycle built in the world, regardless of ice. Do not be induced to pay more money for an inferior wheel. Prsist ‘on having the Waverley. Can be delivered from factory # agent hasn't it. Catalogue ‘*I" Free by Mail. . 2a Ib. Scorcher, - - $85. INDIANA BICYCLE CO., 23 Ib. Ladies’, - = 75+ Indianapolis, Ind., U. 8 A. all Uric Acid GOUT? RAZINS =: RECOMMENDED FOR Gravel, Calculus, Lazy Liver, and SCHERING'S PIPE For Sale by Druggists. PAMPHLET Free. Novelties SPRING DRESS FABRICS. Black and Colored Crepons, Scotch and English Suitings, Checks, ral and Plaids, Homespuns, Camel's Hair Fabrics, Cheviots, Serges, Printed Challies. MOHAIRS. White and Colored Silk and Wool Fabrics for House and Evening Wear. NOTICE. UBSCRIBERS TO “LIFE” will please give old address as well as new when requesting change of same. “A SINGLE LACE USED.” Automatic Shoe Tie. One Hand Ties the Lace FITS ANY SHOE. APPLIED INSTANTLY PAIR OF TIES with Paty of Lees, Black or T 256 “ivory Stlk Eaten Sq Golds teeth Se. Shpeate J Bend for Ramplonnd Frcivaive . ots. VAN UME Mins Waskloee Dee Back numbers of LiFe can be had by applying at this office, 19 and 21 West 31st Street, New York City. Single copies of Vols. I. and II. out of print. Vol. I., bound, $30.00. Vols.’ IL, VIII, XIII. and XIV. $20.00 each, bound. Vols. VII., X., XI., XIL, XV. and XVI., $15.00 each, bound. Vols. III, IV., V., VI, IX., XVII.and XVIII., $10.00 each, bound. Vols. XIX., XX., XXI. XXIL, XXIII. and XXIV., $5.00 each. Back numbers, one year old, 25 cents per copy. Subscribers wishing address changed will greatly facilitate mat- .ers by sending old address as well as new.