Life, 1909-09-30 · page 4 of 32
Life — September 30, 1909 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising, not satire**. The page promotes Winchester rifles and ammunition using a map of Africa and a fist emerging from the continent. The ad includes a **testimonial from Ex-President Roosevelt** describing his personal firearms collection used during African hunting. Roosevelt mentions an Army Springfield, a Winchester 405 rifle, and a Holland double-barrel shotgun provided by English friends. The visual strategy links Winchester products to Roosevelt's prestige and African big-game hunting expertise. The phrase "Truth Will Out" suggests Winchester rifles are the honest choice for serious hunters. The Africa imagery and Roosevelt's endorsement were likely intended to evoke adventure, colonial exploration, and masculine sporting prowess—marketing appeals common in early 20th-century publications.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Winchester Winchester Rifles and Winchester Am- munition are the in- variable choice of experience-taught and discriminating big game hunters. Sold everywhere. Ask for THE RED WW srand “WITY rifles were an Army Springfield, 30-calibre. stocked and sighted tc suit myself; a Winchester 405; and a double-barrelled 500-450 Holland, a beautiful weapon presented to me by English friends. Kermit’s battery was of the same type, except that instead of a Springfield he had another Winchester, shooting the army ammunition, and his double barrel was a Rigby.” EX-PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT IN THE OCTOBER SCRIBNER. I r TRUTH WILL OUT! comicbooks.com