Life, 1908-12-03 · page 8 of 68
Life — December 3, 1908 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It contains four product advertisements from the early 20th century: 1. **Old Hampshire Bond** paper—positioning business stationery as conveying prosperity and elegance 2. **Steinway Piano**—emphasizing it as a "masterpiece" superior to rivals, appealing to wealthy consumers 3. **Boston Garter**—men's hosiery with a "Velvet Grip" cushion button, featuring anatomical product imagery 4. **Life's Margarine** (bottom right)—showing a couple, presumably advertising food products The opening text about appearing happy in social settings serves as editorial framing for the advertisements. There is no identifiable political satire or caricature on this page—it represents typical *Life* magazine advertising from approximately the 1910s-1920s era, targeting middle and upper-class consumers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
In the social world, if you are not happy, the next best thing is to seem*happy. Nobody wants your gloom. In the business world, you may substitute the word prosperous. OLD HAMPSHIRE BOND for any business letter, seems like pros- perity. The seeming often brings the reality. It has the elegance that is sub- stantial and modest. ‘That it pays always to use Oto Hamesnine. Boxo for commercial stationery is the testi- mony of prudent business men. Prove this for yourself—let us give you the Oro Hamer siine Bono Book of Specimens. It contains, suggestive specimens of letterheads and other business forms, printed, lithographed and en- graved on the white and fourteen colors of ‘OLd Hamrsuin Bono. Hampshire Paper Company The only paver makers In the work! making bond paper exclusively South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts “MADE A LITTLE BETTER THAN § : A Masterpiece _ A trve masterpiece repretents the highest degree of achievemert. What the rame Michael Acgelo stards for in sculpture — what Raphael signifies to the | painter — what Stradivarics means to the violirist, that \ wealth of meating the name STEINWAY conveys to the pianist ard to the great music-loving public of the world, The STEINWAY js in truth “A Masterpiece,” a work of surpassing excellence. No instrument can compare with it. for four successive generations of STEINWAY genius have kept the STEINWAY PIANO far in advance of all possible rivalry. The third and fourth generations are to-day origicating and inventing — creating a still higher standard for all other piaro makers to follow and emulate, The Miniature Grand and Vertegrand are fitting re resentatives of STEINWAY worth, The STEINWAY Miniature Grand is as small as a grand piano should be — five feet ten inches in length, Anything smaller would tem’ to sacrifice the essentials of the true grand. A re markable value at $800 — ebonized case. The STEINWAY Vertegrand is, as the name im- plies, a grand piano in upright form. It has established 2 new and higher plane of achievement for all other up- rights. Price, $550, in ebonized case. canbe bought of any authorined Ste‘ . miniarune STEINWAY 107-109 E; wary Frpress Stan 14th St., New Yors the Door STYLE, NEATNESS COMFORT THE IMPROVED BOSTO “EI The name is stamped o every loop—-Be sure ipped on © THE CUSHION BUTTON CLASP LIES FLAT TO THE LEG—NEVER SLIPS, TEARS, NOR UNFASTENS WORN ALL OVER THE WORLD Sample pair, Silk fc. Cotton %e. Mailed ob receipt of price. BOSTON, MASS., U.S. A. INSIST ON HAVING THE GENUINE REFUS E ALL S UBSTITUTES, ALWAYS POPULAR comicbooks.com