Life, 1913-09-04 · page 40 of 40
Life — September 4, 1913 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **full-page advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes the Victrola, an early phonograph/record player, to wealthy homeowners. The image depicts an elegant formal gathering in a grand parlor where a hostess entertains guests. The advertisement's pitch is that the Victrola solves social awkwardness: it "breaks the ice" after dinner, provides dance music when conversation flags, and supplies opera selections on demand—essentially functioning as automated entertainment for leisure-class entertaining. The copy addresses anxieties of the era's affluent hostesses about maintaining sophisticated social gatherings. Rather than satire, this is straightforward aspirational advertising, presenting the Victrola as a status symbol and practical solution to hosting etiquette challenges. The accompanying price range ($10-$500) and the famous "His Master's Voice" logo reinforce that Victor Talking Machine Co. positioned their product as both accessible and luxurious.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
September 4, 1913 The best friend of a hostess is The hostess who has a Victrola never need worry about how the evening will “go”. Is there an awkward moment after the guests le the dinner table? A Victrola will “break the ice”. Do the young people get tired of general conversation? A Victrola will furnish the latest dance music and set their feet to sliding. >meone mention a melody from the latest opera? Let us try it on the Victrola. there is the Victrola—the treasure house of entertainment in reserve — never home like this It might be—so easily. are Victors and Victrolas in vari of styles from S10 to $500, and any Victor dealer in any city in the world will gladly demonstrate them to yo “HIS MASTERS VoIct” N, J., U.S. A. os comicbooks.com