Life — September 20, 1900 — page 20: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a full-page advertisement for Colgate & Co.'s toiletries and personal care products from September 1900. It's not a political cartoon but rather a commercial advertisement disguised as editorial content—common in early Life magazine. The ad uses an ornate decorative border displaying various Colgate products (soaps, perfumes, powders, toilet waters) surrounding a central female figure at the top. The clever marketing claim compares the Colgate brand name to the "Sterling" hallmark on silver—suggesting that just as Sterling guarantees silver's quality, the Colgate name guarantees product quality and authenticity. This reflects turn-of-the-century marketing strategy: establishing brand reputation as a mark of trustworthiness in an era before strict product regulation.