Life, 1903-12-17 · page 17 of 22
Life — December 17, 1903 — page 17: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The main cartoon, titled "From East to West," depicts a commercial exchange between two Western businessmen representing the cigarette trade. One figure (left) dressed in Egyptian/Turkish costume hands tobacco to a suited gentleman (right), symbolizing the international tobacco commerce of the era. The satire mocks the marketing practice of exoticizing foreign products—specifically Turkish cigarettes branded as "Egyptian Deities"—to appeal to American consumers seeking sophistication and worldliness. The joke critiques how Western companies appropriated Oriental imagery and mystique to sell luxury goods, with the "Egyptian manner" production serving purely as marketing rather than authentic craftsmanship. It's satirizing early 20th-century orientalism and consumer culture's appetite for exotic branding. The page is otherwise dominated by period advertisements for cameras, men's clothing, books, pyrography kits, and perfumes—typical of Life's revenue model as a magazine.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
amor- while on, of ather From East to West Absolutely the finest tobacco grown in Turkey is made up in the Egyptian manner in Esyptian, DEITIES. No better Turkish cigarette can be made Look tor the signature of 8S. ANARGY RUS, oeeld . Constable CCo, Men’s Furnishings. House Coats, Dressing Gowns, Bath Robes. High Class Neck Wear and Mufflers. Dress Shirts, Fancy Shirts, Night Shirts and Pajama Handkerchiefs, Glo’ A Holiday Hint KODAK Booklet at the deuters or by mail. EASTMAN KODAK CO., Rochester, N. Y. RARE BOOKS, PRINTS ana ; from alive Umbrellas, Canes. Procdory AS 1916 at. NEW YORK. “ANYTHING THATS A BOOK.” GOODSPEED'S BOOKSHOP, 54 Fark St. Bas Gibson Pyrography By contract with Life, we have the exclusive night to reproduce Gibson Charles most famous t, aud hie deaw- adapted to Pyro- production This we a hij didly made includes fine P Handie, Kubbe rument, splen, Alcatiol Wood, ready for b all kinds of Pyrog outdits at lowest jirice THAYER & CHANDLER 162-164 W.tacksoa Bird. CHICAGO Largest Matera of Pyrograph PM Geodsintae Wartan THE CLUB are the original bottled Cocktails. Years of experience have made them THE PERFECT COCKTAILS that they are. Do not be lured into buying some imitation. The ORIGINAL of anything is good enough. When others are offered it is for the purpose of Larges prot its. Insist upon having the CLUB COCKTAILS, and take no other, G.F. HEURLEIN & BRO., Sole Proprictors 29 Broapway, New York, N. Y. Hanrtvorp, CONN. VELVET elvet is never that of ot 2 name” Nonpa ye & dM, WoreaL on back of every yard. Julla Marlowe writes: "I fod the Nonpareit Veteet of fine tone ia cee gladly Co American wo Jed First Gold Medals at Paris, Lovdew aud . Ex sc NCE has im- on ‘orld of oz bottle $22); able of your comicbooks.com