Life, 1909-12-30 · page 23 of 29
Life — December 30, 1909 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising and promotional content**, not political satire. The left side advertises Life's "Great Christmas Issue," promoting it as the year's largest edition (80+ pages) available for 25 cents by mail. The right side features a full-page advertisement for the **Tel-Electric Piano Player**—a motorized device that attaches to grand pianos to play them automatically via electricity. The ad emphasizes it's controlled by the owner (unlike older pneumatic players requiring foot pedals), requires no house electricity, and allows owners to preserve their existing pianos rather than trading them for expensive player pianos. The illustration shows an elegant social scene of people enjoying the automatic piano performance at what appears to be a formal gathering, reflecting the product's appeal to wealthy households in the early 1900s. This reflects the era's enthusiasm for electrical automation and labor-saving devices marketed to affluent consumers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Great Christmas Issue Did You Miss lt? If, by any possibility you did, if you can’t get it at your News-stand, Don’t Delay, But send to us at once for a copy. This Is the Largest and Best Number of Life In the Year. Over Fighty Pages. A Copy will be mailed to you on receipt of Twenty Five Cents. Address LIFE, 17 West 31st St., New York Here Is a Tel-Electric Piano Player Attached To a Grand Piano The Tel-Electric isa piano player of which you never tire, because it never tires you to play it. It is operated by electricity, but controlled by you. If you have not seen or heard the Tel-Electric Piano Player, you ¢ missed one of the most wonderful inventions o' y 1 ion attained in this Piano Player marks a new epoch in the production of musical devices. Its wonderful renditions, its extreme simplicity and freedom from the many disadvantages of the pneu- er has brought it the unanimous approval of the musical The Tel-Electric Piano Player is ope by electric’ although electric current in the house is not ne . It is perfectly con- trolled by easily mastered devices, and, contrary to the old style pneumatic players, your fect have nothing to do. It will produce all music exactly as indicated by composer and cut into the music rolls —without your assistance if yod do not wish to express your own interpretation. Do Not Sacrifice Your Piano— Attach a Tel-Electric Player If you own a piano, do not sacrifice it by accepting a small allow- ance on the cost of a player piano, but attach a Tel-F ric ty it If you do not own a ‘ou can secure your favorite instrument from us with a Tel-E ric Player attached. In cither instance you will save money, and in both you will be buying more enjoyment. “Compare it with the Tel-Electric before you buy.” Write for descriptive catalog and convenient terms, Thelel-Flectric Co. METROPOLITAN AGENTS IVERS & POND PIANOS 299 Fifth Avenue, cor. 3Ist Street neue HUNDEE = MATHUSHEK PIANOS ‘ THREE MUNDRED POUNDS OF WHITE LE(A)D FISCHER ANOS New York City comicbooks.com