Life, 1914-01-22 · page 36 of 40
Life — January 22, 1914 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page contains a satirical story mocking aggressive sales tactics and wealthy women's vanity around 1910s fashion. **The Main Satire:** A furrier salesman (Mr. Skinnem) deliberately deceives a customer by rebranding skunks as exotic furs—first calling them "natural skunks," then "Adirondack," then "Alaska sables." The customer repeatedly calls out his deception ("You mean skunks"), but he persists with flattery and manipulation. His sales associate (Miss Sellem and Celestine) physically wrap the reluctant woman in the furs, quite literally trapping her into the purchase. **The Point:** The story ridicules both predatory male salesmen who exploit women's fashion insecurity and wealthy women who convince themselves to buy obviously absurd luxury goods (skunks dressed up as premium furs) through peer pressure and flattery. The final image—a woman leaving "wearing a father skunk...mother skunk...and a baby skunk"—emphasizes the absurdity of what she's accepted. **Context:** This reflects early 20th-century critiques of commercialism, gender dynamics in retail, and the fashion industry's deceptive marketing practices.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
164 Add Distinction to Your Dinner Let it express the dif- ference between mere criminating choice sparkling with life and purity, every bubble bursting with sponta- neous gaiety, full of the delicate fragrance of the grape, delightful of flavor —no amount of money can buy a wine to surpass in quality this American champagne. Costs less than imported cham- pagnes because the cost of the import duty and ocean freight is added to the price of foreign made B wines. You pay for quality alone when you buy Cook’s. Sold Everywhere Served Everywhere AMERICAN Wine Co. 8 ST. LOUI3 "DPE E Mr. Skinnem, nailed to the wall: “Oh, of course, Madame, they are really the natural skunk—the undyed, natural skin—real natural skunk— nothing imitation about it——” “You mean the Adirondack?” “The Alaska is the finer of the two and will wear for a lifetime. You get a set of Alaska sables——” “You mean skunks,” “Well, skunks—and you can leave them to your children. Miss Sellem, bring out that smart little set with the cap made with real cars, the searf and the muff. There! I made up the duplicate of that for a Russian princess who was here last season. She said the Russian skins weren't in it with these. Beg pardon? Only five hundred. Won't you try them on?” I—don't think I'd like them so well as the P-p-p-p-p-persian lamb. A lamb is such a gentle little thing and a Persian lamb must be so cute and playful!” “Madame, I assure you the Persian lambs are dead ones beside the Amer- ican skunks—this year. Miss Sellem, try these on Madame.” ’ struggles with Celestine, ‘ds in getting the cap on with the cars coquettishly outspread and a flume of tails, Miss Sellem waxes enthusiastic. “ Just look at that muff! That skin's fairly alive! You could imagine you had the live animal in your lap!” Madame, coldly, but feebly: “That doesn’t appeal to me at ail. I shouldn't care to have the live animal in my lap.” Mr, Skinnem notices that she is los- ing strength, gives a high sign to Celes- tine, who assists Miss Sellem to lasso the customer in a scarf and thrust her arms into a muff. Mr. Skinnem strikes a pose of devoted admiration, “Perfectly stunning! Just roll over that cheval mirror and get Madame a hand glass. Look at the lines—notice the gleam of the eyes and the flash of the teeth on the shoulder, with that fatl of tails! It is superb—the most dis- tinguished looking furs we have sent out this season!” Chorus of admiration from Celestine and Miss Sellem as Madame groggily reaches for the hand glass. Mr. Sellem pins a white gardenia on one of the cars. Madam goes out of the shop nervous but happy, wearing a father skunk clasped over her lower chest, a mother skunk clustering around her neck and shoulders, and a baby skunk with real claws, four tails and a white gardenia behind its car, crowning her proudly poised head. Kate Masterson. LIFE PRINTS ONE AM “And if I ring IN wake ber father.” Vhotogravure, 13% x 16. Postpaid, so cents. Corr. Life Pub. Co. 10 Cher Atirneti Loodou TROUBLE wiTn THE By Balfour Ker Photogravure, 20 x 15 in. Postpaid, $1.00. Cove. Life Pub. ‘ by Willia sholesons “'mey, THERE! WANT ANY NWELP?'" Photogravure, 15 x 20 in. Postpaid, $1.00. Lire Purtisutnc Company, 17 West 3tst Street, New York GE Ali Write fe Puritan F add ast Heth §