Life, 1897-06-10 · page 20 of 20
Life — June 10, 1897 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising page** rather than editorial content. The central cartoon shows a figure (unclear who) presenting a large platter—likely satirizing patent medicine or "miracle cure" advertisements common in the 1890s. Key advertisements include: - **Vin Mariani wine**: marketed as a health tonic with endorsements from celebrity (Emile Zola quoted). This was a popular cocaine-containing wine of the era, reflecting pre-regulation patent medicine culture. - **Golden Sceptre tobacco/cigars**: positioned as "perfection" - **Bicycles** (Rambler, Columbia): emphasizing status and leisure - **Old Crow Rye whiskey**: using testimonials about life-saving properties The humor lies in the exaggerated health claims these products made. The page reflects the **1890s advertising landscape** where unregulated products could claim virtually any medicinal benefit. "Life's Comedy" section invites subscriptions to the magazine itself, using similar salesmanship tactics as the advertised products—treating entertainment as a purchasable "cure" for modern life.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WILL CONVINCE THAT en Sceptre 1S PERFECTION We will send on receipt of 10c. a sample to Mm any address. Prices S! of GOLDEN SCEPTRE, A 1'. $1.30, 1/10 40 cts. BA Postage paid. Catalogue free SURBRUG *° Seer | ‘LIFE BINDER, LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY Cheap, Strong and Durable. WILL HOLD... 2G NUMBERS, | VIN MARIANI June 10, st57 MARIANI WINE— THE IDEAL FRENCH TONIC—FOR BODY AND BRAIN. “VIN MARIANI, THE ELIXIR OF LIFE, A VERITABLE FOUNTAIN | OF YOUTH GIVING VIGOR, HEALTH AND ENERGY.” EMILE ZOLA. Write to MARIANI & CO. for Descriptive Book, 75 PORTRAITS. 52 Wiis STs — Indorsements and Autographs of Celebrities. Pants: 414, Hauerman psc ford st NEW YORK. ‘Loxpon + £39 Oxford 8%. LIFE’S COMEDY. |, ARE YOU FOND OF Mailed to any part of hg United States for $1.00. Address Office of LIFE, 19 West Thirty-First St., Printed on Magnificent Paper inthe » eee ee ee HIGHEST STYLE} OF THE... | PRINTER'S ART? ‘Then Subscribe for LIFE’S COMEDY, Published Quarterly at $1.00 A YEAR BY 1g West Thirty-first Street, New York City ZB, “LIGHT RUNNING Rewer “vou CAN TELL by the class of people who ride popular taveycles CRargid\er”— ence $80 It saved my life, Prolonged my years, And spared my family many tears. So writes one of our jj oldest citizens about our OLD CROW RYE We get many letters of similar import; also m from persons who ha ®) been foolish enough to buy imitations or refilled bottles; the burden of their song is different. See tha word RYE, in large red letters, i: i label, als on case, label. H. B. KIRK & C0. (ESTABLISHED 1853) 69 Fulton St., also Broadway and 27th St. NOTICE. SS UASCRIBERS: TO“LIFE” will please give old address as well as new when re | questing change of same. | 15S Lad