Life, 1905-03-16 · page 24 of 28
Life — March 16, 1905 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **champagne advertisement**, not political satire. The main content celebrates Moët & Chandon's dominance in U.S. champagne imports for 1904 (336,430 cases), with an emphatic declaration that these sales figures are "IRREFUTABLE" and verified by U.S. Customs. The page includes a quote from a wine industry publication vouching for importer Geo. A. Kessler & Co.'s record imports of 127,783 cases. This appears designed to establish credibility and market leadership during what was likely a competitive period in the luxury wine trade. The right column contains unrelated advertisements: Jamaica tourism, the United Fruit Company's steamship service, and period patent medicines (Blair's Pills, Foster corsets). **Historical context**: This reflects the Gilded Age's conspicuous consumption and marketing emphasis on authenticating luxury goods through official statistics and testimonials. There is no cartoon or satire on this page.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LTP E (mmeraranue| os The statistics of the IMPORTATIONS OF CHAMPAGNES INTO THE UNITED STATES for the year 1904, placing aris Aces Rivi Moet & Chandon at the top. of the list and in the lead with je: AMETICa a: MAViere A ance with the fairest island in the IRREFUTA BLE Golden Caribbean. Its accessi- bility and the moderate cost of the trip are decidedly appealing, e-of the leading features of and are the authentic figures verifed by the United States Customs iis cojovable tear Bnibecsei reports; any publications not in accordance with these figures are wil- and luxury of the four days’ sea~ fully misleading, including as they do other countries. tip ca the UNITED FRUIT THE SALES OF COMPANY’S Steel Twin-Screw U, S, Mail Steamships ADMIRAL DEWEY ADMIRAL SCHLEY ADMIRAL SAMPSON ADMIRAL FARRAGUT ly from Boston, and Phila- hes American fulle steam- Including Other Countries sexi itom aks eS in 1904 were ROUND TRIP, $75 — including Meals and Stateroom, Veek! from New Orleans to of Panama, Limon. Costa d ports in Central and ” Month in Jamaica” is the C utitul book We will send you free vether with our monthly a siden Caribbean UNITED FRUIT COMPANY The Greatest Number of Cases Ever Long Wharf, Boston North s, Philadelphia, P: Sold in Any One Year of Any Brand. sand ilenry Streets, Haitimore arles Street, New Orleans Raymond @ Whitcomb Co. Thos. Cook @ Son Regarding Champagne importations in 1904 Bon- NEW YORK fort’s Wine and Spirit Circular of Jan. 10, 1905, says: ee ee “Messrs. Geo. A. Kessler & Co. HEAD THE LIST of importers of Champagne into the United States with the splendid total of 127,783 cases, A GREATER AMOUNT of Champagne actually arriving within the United States than has ever heretofore been reported. The result isa splendid CORRECTS FAULTS OF THE FIGURE tribute to the quality of the wine.” Pertect Sopporter with ress or aegligee. Approved feioreed by Proterred by Mercerized, a Book 24 Pee ‘OLD HAYES, Batfatey 8. Ye Unite Great English Remedy 36) BLAIR’S PILLS Ke AN For Sore Throat, Asthma, Safe, Sure, Effective, ail lt Bronchitis, give prompt 8: ny .Y. Fes wolief. Sold only in boxes. comicbooks.com