Life, 1909-06-10 · page 32 of 32
Life — June 10, 1909 — page 32: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a straightforward cigarette advertisement, not satire or political commentary. Pall Mall Famous Cigarettes advertises their availability at prestigious London and English hotels and restaurants (the Ritz, Waldorf, Carlton, etc.), positioning the brand as upscale and cosmopolitan. The heraldic crest in the center appears to be the brand's logo. The ad emphasizes convenient packaging in boxes of ten, fifty, and one hundred cigarettes. The final line—"A Shilling in London / A Quarter Here"—compares British and American pricing, suggesting this Life magazine advertisement targets American readers by noting the product's affordability domestically compared to British prices. This reflects early 20th-century advertising norms when cigarette promotion faced no restrictions and luxury branding emphasized prestigious venues and international availability.
📄 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 may be purchased at the principal clubs, hotels and cafés of England and the United States. Among those of England being — Ritz Hotel (London) Hotel Great Central Royal Pavilion Hotel (London) (Folkestone) Waldorf Hotel Sackville Hotel (London) ¥ (Bexhill-on-Sea) Hotel Russell Hotel Majestic (London) (Harrowgate) Hotel Burlington i Metropole Hotel (Dover Bay) (Whitby) Trocadero Restaurant Throgmorton Restaurant (London) (London) Carlton Hotel (London) Also at 15 Pall Mall. ‘toudos In addition to the boxes of ten, PALL MALL FAMOUS CIGARETTES are packed in attractive and convenient boxes containing fifty and one hundred cigarettes. “A Shilling in London A Quarter Here” comicbooks.com