Life, 1899-09-07 · page 20 of 20
Life — September 7, 1899 — page 20: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising page** rather than editorial content. The main illustration, credited to "Madame Rejane" from *Journal Amusant*, depicts an elegant woman in classical dress—likely a theatrical or society figure of the era, though the specific identity is unclear to modern readers. The advertisements promote luxury goods typical of the 1890s: Lea & Perrins Worcestershire sauce, Eau de Cologne, and Pears' soap. The editorial content about Pears' soap contains subtle **social satire**: it mocks competitors who rely on packaging and marketing ("pretty boxes and odors") rather than product quality. The text suggests consumers should value substance over appearance—an ironic critique, since Pears' itself was a heavily marketed luxury brand. The commentary that "all sorts of people are using it" appears to reference the soap's mass-market aspirations during an era of expanding consumer culture. The page reflects turn-of-century advertising practices and emerging consumer skepticism.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
September 1, 1999. MADAME REJANE. —vournat Amusant, GRAVY? Fhe'Sinnen taBce BEFORE YOU HAVE ADDED A TABLE-SPOONFULOF LEA & PERRINS | ™e 0g WAU CE. area Pretty boxes and odors ree | al and Genuine worcesters™" = are used to sell such LEA & PERRINS'IS THE FAVORITE TABLE SAUCE a soaps as no one would ‘THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.-SEE SIGNATURE ON WRAPPER. & m : = OWN DUNCANS SONS, AGTS.,. NEWYORK. = touch if he saw them un- = - : —_—— disguised. Beware of a HE: GENUINE: S A a Da soap that depends on Cont yj au AS | ‘ AFps H | something outside of it. ig re PSN p Som wee Pears’, the finest soap in the world is scented or not, as you wish; and the f>s ai HE standard of all Colognes for over 100 years, Used by the Royal and Imperial ¢ \ & s Families of Europe.” An. indispensable Toilet | money is in the merchan Accessory forall pe of reed este shes f: dise, not in the box. ; || Pero. sitaess, ase, Cologae IR, | 35a e | . : WEET, SSH we v. ce 3 we 2 All sorts of stores sell it, especially J) AS A KE MULBENS & KROPFF, 35 ite St., New York. | SO Ser 4 druggists; all sorts of people are using it.