Life, 1912-03-21 · page 35 of 52
Life — March 21, 1912 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **full-page advertisement**, not satirical content. It promotes "Old Hampshire Bond" stationery from Hampshire Paper Co. (South Hadley Falls, Massachusetts). The ad targets gentlemen seeking appropriate stationery for personal correspondence—distinguished from business letterhead. The image shows an elegant desk with leather-bound books, papers, and writing materials in a study or library setting, establishing a tone of refinement and gentility. The pitch emphasizes that if the stationery appeals to the advertiser's male reader, it will similarly impress his correspondents. The call-to-action invites requests for a sample packet. This reflects early 20th-century marketing that associated quality paper goods with social status and proper etiquette among middle and upper-class men.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Ll FE « Ree he em eae ee Se a OdampshivedBiond ‘The Stationery 7a Gentleman For private, personal correspondence where a business letterhead would hardly be correct e& We have a sample packet we should like to mail you & If it appeals to you, it will appeal just as strongly to your correspondent e% Ask us for it. Hampshire Paper Co. South Hadley Falls Massachusetts comicbooks.com