Life, 1913-01-02 · page 2 of 44
Life — January 2, 1913 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **product advertisement** for Mennen's Shaving Cream, not a political cartoon or satire. The advertisement uses playing cards—Jacks and Kings from a "Whist or Poker Deck"—arranged in a fan formation with one card showing a question mark. The copy asks readers if they can identify the beards and mustaches worn by these card figures, implying subtle styling differences. The advertisement's strategy: pose this as a clever puzzle, then pivot to promoting Mennen's Shaving Cream as the solution for maintaining any beard style. The appeal emphasizes practical benefits—no skin irritation, quality lather, and cleanliness through tube packaging—targeting male grooming concerns of the era. This represents early 20th-century advertising using visual puzzles and masculine imagery to market toiletries.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
~ \N ZisJ Tae _N AP Qe NAS NA KZA A ST ag S i Pe Can you tell 4 the styles of beards worn by the Knaves and Kings of the Whist or Poker Deck—which of them have mustaches—which of them have neither beard nor mustache? We can tell you that MENNEN’S SHAVING CREAM is the best shaving preparation for any kind of beard. It contains no free caustic and therefore does not irritate the skin, smarting and sore faces are eliminated; it gives a thick creamy lather which absolutely will not dry on the face; the lather softens the beard without the objectionable “rubbing in’? with the fingers; after the shave the skin is left cool and soft instead of hot and drawn; the cream being enclosed ina tube is clean and sanitary; is extremely economical. Write for free sample tube today and be convinced. The sooner you get started, the sooner your shaving troubles will be end Mennen’s Shaving Cre GERHARD MENNEN COMPANY, 86 Orange Street, NEWARK, N. J. Makers of the celebrated Mennen's Borated Talcum Toilet Powder. For 15¢ in stamps we will mail you prepaid our beautiful 1913 calendar. comicbooks.com ae