Life, 1908-03-19 · page 22 of 24
Life — March 19, 1908 — page 22: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertising page** from an early 20th-century issue of Life magazine, with one small cartoon illustration. The main cartoon, titled "The First Prestidigitateur," depicts a woman performing magic tricks for children—she appears to be making objects disappear or manipulate them. "Prestidigitateur" means a magician or sleight-of-hand performer. The joke likely references a woman's domestic "magic" in managing household tasks or entertaining children, playing on period stereotypes of feminine domestic roles. The rest of the page contains period product advertisements: Smith-Gray motor clothing for chauffeurs, Rabid Pullman passenger cars, Zerolene motor oil, Redfern corsets, White Rock table water, and Cortez cigars. These ads reflect early automotive industry growth and upper-class consumer goods marketed to gentlemen and households of means. The corset advertisement notably emphasizes that proper corseting creates the "figure," reflecting early 20th-century beauty standards.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
GIVE IDEAL SERVICE FOR For Gentleman and Chauffeur. | Keep Your Spark Plugs Clean Write for doall| Z1:noLENE, the non-carbonizing oil, ends all the troubles of carbon, frost ani friction in gasoline engine lubrication. Gives perfect tub: Catalogue. TOMUBICCRUENE rication in any ga oline engine, regardless of type or temperature, Auto- Ol SMITH, GRAY & CO. i a Lubricating This oil is produced in only one place. NEW YORK BROOKLYN y eaves practically no carbon depo 6 uniformity 10 zero Ww rte Beoadway.at Warren St. Fultoa St..at Flatbush Ave. aa s that brew Broadway, at 31st St. Broadway, at Bedford Ave. (OLD, pon-refiling feature which prevents substiiation STANDARD OIL COMPANY (Incorporated) Send for free illus- trated Booklet **A’* on filling, wearing and caring for your Qewels- The corset makes the figure—not the gown. A Redfern ” Model, prop- > erly fitted to your form, regardless ot | type or size, will give the long, lithe + lines— the flat-back, bip- | MY Rubber But. | Si “ 9 ” eneetin The World’s Best Table Water’ 9) 1 Fuatanieed notte Hit of the Hour, “Richard’s Poor Almanack,” beautifully bound, illustrated humorous book, sent for 10c. Address White Rock, Flatiron Bldg., N. Y. co} dit Specially fitted at ndit all high-class shops. | - — = _ keep | Priced from $15.00 FOR pg MEN IGA ARS Suppose we could furnish you a better smoking tobect? “Ty down to $3.00, ac- | than you have ever tried, for less money? aterest ye% cording to materials. THE PIRST PRESTIDIGITATEUR | wouldn't it? Our booklet, free, will interest 7 BiMtwos a Pe Warner eon’ “| MADE AT al GARS Department 11, Wilda Tobacco Company, Chathas, Y comicbooks.com