Life, 1913-12-04 · page 81 of 112
Life — December 4, 1913 — page 81: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is entirely a **Christmas advertisement** for Western Electric Company, not satire or political commentary. There are no cartoons or caricatures to analyze. The ad promotes electrical appliances as practical Christmas gifts during an era (early 20th century) when home electrification was still novel. It appeals to "sane and practical giving"—a subtle shift from luxury items toward household utilities. The copy emphasizes labor-saving devices (vacuum cleaners, washing machines, irons) that would appeal to wives and mothers, reflecting gender assumptions of the era. Western Electric leverages its reputation as manufacturer of Bell Telephones ("7,500,000") to assure quality across its product line. The ad lists offices nationwide and encourages mail inquiries, reflecting the mail-order distribution model of the period. This represents early-1900s consumer marketing during America's electrification boom.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
_ SRARARLIFE BAKA This CHRISTMAS ~ Make it ELECTRICAL It is ever the desire to find something new to give expression to the spirit of Christmas. With the growing trend toward sane and practical giving, the range of choice that is offered in electrical devices for home comfort and home convenience appeals strongly to one who would select for a gift that which is attractive both for its novelty and practicability. Where is the wife or mother who would not enthuse over a real electric vacuum cleaner or an electric washing machine? Think of the lasting pleasure that would be present in a home equipped with Inter-phones which save useless stair-climbing. Other things which give pleasure and satisfaction much out of proportion to their cost, and for which the cost for electric current to operate is so low that it need scarcely be considered, are electric irons, coffee percolators, chafing dishes, bread toasters and warming Areiican Boseky pads. All of these and other electric goods are to be had in highest 00. quality among the Western : Electric Home Utilities Anything with the Western Electric name carries assurance of quality and guarantee of worth. Every time you use your Bell Telephone you hold in your hand an evidence of Western Electric efficiency. The same degree of excellence is to be found in every other Western Electric article. Electrical dealers all over the country sell our goods. If you cannot find them at the dealer's in your town, write to any of our houses in the cities listed below, and we will send literature on any article in which you are interested, and tell you where in your vicinity it can be purchased. WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY Manufacturers of the 7,500,000 “Bell” Telephones Si, Mon St Pa ver Omaha Sak Lake City EQUIPMENT FOR EVERY ELECTRICAL NEED