Life, 1913-09-18 · page 3 of 44
Life — September 18, 1913 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **commercial advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Columbia's "Favorite" phonograph model at $50, emphasizing improved mechanical features while maintaining the same price point. The ad highlights technical innovations: a superior motor mechanism, improved tone-arm, continuous uninterrupted tone-chamber, and refined reproducer for "purity, brilliance and richness of tone." The "Tone" headline suggests Columbia is positioning sonic quality as a primary selling point beyond mere affordability. An "Important Notice" warns that Columbia records work exclusively on Columbia machines, protecting their market. The page reflects early 20th-century consumer culture, where phonographs were becoming household products. There is **no satire or political commentary**—this is straightforward product marketing aimed at middle-class buyers through Life magazine's readership.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
that is not the only reason why you should buy a Columbia Grafonola The continuous, uninterrupted tone~ chamber and the exclusively Columbia tone-control leaves. mechanism revolves the in complete silence and at unvarying speed. The reprodu- Y cer isa marvel of naturalness, purity, brilli- ance and round- ‘tame principle as the speedometer ness of tone, ‘00 an automobile. Take the “Favorite” at $50 as a brilliant example: Greatly improved, but the price remains the same. (and the easy terms of purchase, too—$5 a month) Sold, as we believe, for three straight years to more people than any other instrument—regardless of name, price, or make. “Favorite” in name and favorite in fact—and now here illustrated for the first time in its new form, better worthy of its “Favorite” name and of its reputation than ever before. Here are the principal points of improvement A bigger, much deeper cabi The new No. 6 reproducer: The new unit power-plant. new speed; mbodying Important Notice write to us | folder ilustratirg the new “Favorite” and the first of our new Go to any ia dealer and ask him to play any records that you like, on a new “Favorite ‘sa part of his day's work and it will be a treat to yo. Cc Graphophone Company, Box 270, Woolworth Bldg., New York Tofsfeecin Cannas pls du, Dealers and prospective dealers write for a confidential letter and a free copy of our book “Music comicbooks.com