Life, 1911-09-21 · page 48 of 52
Life — September 21, 1911 — page 48: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **advertisement**, not political satire. Life Publishing Company is marketing a six-print series by artist Balfour Ker depicting the arc of establishing a typical American home. The prints tell a sentimental narrative: young lovers envision their new house (with "Cupid, Master Builder" as guide), through domestic milestones—"The New Home," romantic moments ("Love Among the Ruins"), a child's birth ("The First Spank"), and childhood illness ("The First Scare")—culminating in the son becoming "ruler of the roost." The humor is gentle domestic comedy about modern American life and family aspirations. The prints were available in two editions: a luxury photogravure on fine India paper mounted on French stock, and a cheaper $1.00 version. The advertisement appeals to middle-class readers' personal experiences and hopes regarding homeownership and family life—standard advertising strategy of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Cope. Life Pub. Co, CASTLES IN srary The old home and a dream of the new Indla Print, 22x18 t,, §2.00 Cope, Lite Pub. Co, THE SRW HOME Alone at last India Print, 2218 in., $2.00 LOVE AMosO THR REINS The first ple India Print, 2% x 18 In., $2.00 LIFE PUBLISHING COMPANY, 17 West 31 St., New York American Home Aseries of LIFE PRINTS by Balfour Ker, full of human interest. These six pictures tell a story that at some point touches the personal experi- ence or the hopes of every reader of LIFE—the story of the founding of the typical American home. From the day and hour when the young loyers see the “New Home" of their hearts’ desire rising vision-like under the personal direction of D. Cupid, Master Builder, to that on which the son and heir of the house, recovered from his first trifling illness, is seen as the undisputed “ruler of the roost,” Mr. Ker has caught the humor and sentiment of the modern home in masterly fashion. Printed in photogravure on India paper of the best quality and mounted on plate- marked French stock—a true edition de luxe. Also a cheaper edition, size 15X20, same quality of plate work. Price, $1.00 each. Sent prepaid to any ad- dress upon receipt of your remittance. Cope, Life Pub, Co. ANTICIPATION India Print, 22x18 tu, $2.00 THE FIRST SPANK India Print, 22x 15 in. $2.00 Cope, Life Pubs Co, THE FIRST SCARE part India Print, 22 x 15 In., $2.00 ead comicbookseenl