Life, 1908-08-06 · page 26 of 54
Life — August 6, 1908 — page 26: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **primarily a advertising page**, not a political cartoon. It contains four commercial advertisements from circa 1908: 1. **Pall Mall Cigarettes** — pitched to wealthy "connoisseurs" at premium pricing (a shilling in London, a quarter in America) 2. **J. & F. Martell Cognac** — luxury French brandy, emphasizing its 1715 founding date and genuine old-world production 3. **Boston Garter** — a men's sock garter with a cushioned clasp mechanism, marketed as reliable and worldwide 4. **Viyella Flannel** — summer fabric for clothing, highlighting new 1908 designs and the selling point that it "does not shrink" **Historical context**: These ads reflect early-1900s consumer culture targeting middle and upper-class readers. The emphasis on "genuine" and "refuse substitutes" suggests growing concerns about counterfeit products in this pre-regulation era. Prices and product names (cognac, flannel) indicate aspirational luxury goods.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
PALL MALL FAMOUS CIGARETTES for CONNOISSEURS b 7a! A Shilling in London A Quarter Here J. & F. MARTELL Cognac (Pounded 1715) FINE OLD LIQUEUR BRANDIES | GENUINE OLD BRANDIES MADE FROM WINE Sole Agents G.S. NICHOLAS &CO. New York STYLE, NEATNESS COMFORT THE IMPROVED BOSTON GARTER “Wt The name is stamped on every loop—Be sure it’s there BUTTON CLASP LIES FLAT TO THE LEG—NEVER SLIPS, TEARS, NOR UNFASTENS WORN ALL OVER THE WORLD Sample pair, Silk S0c., Cotton &e. Mailed on receipt of price CUSHION ‘. ——— GEO. FROST CO., Makers BOSTON, MASS., U.S. A. INSIST ON HAVING THE GENUINE REFUSE ALL SUBSTITUTES “VIVELLA REG'D FLANNEL New Summer Designs for 1908 | IN Plaids! Stripes! Solid Colours! ; FOR |Shirt Waists, Shirt Waist Suits, Dressing Sacks 4 and Children’s Garments, Men’s Golfing Shirts, Pajamas, Etc. “VIYELLA” can be obtained at the leading Dry | Goods Stores and Men’s Furnishers ‘DOES NOT SHRINK |