Life, 1914-04-09 · page 40 of 40
Life — April 9, 1914 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Victrola phonograph advertisement**, not political satire. It depicts an elegant early-20th-century dance party where well-dressed men and women dance in a formal parlor while a Victrola (Victor Talking Machine Company's gramophone) provides music from a decorative cabinet. The ad emphasizes the phonograph's advantages: superior sound quality, volume, and ability to play continuously—allowing guests to dance as long as desired. It highlights that the Victrola reproduces recordings by "the world's greatest artists," positioning it as a luxury item for the wealthy. The price range ($10-$200, substantial sums in 1914) and formal dress code signal this as aspirational advertising targeting middle to upper-class consumers. The "His Master's Voice" logo (Victor's famous trademark showing a dog listening to a gramophone) appears in the corner, reinforcing brand recognition. This represents early consumer marketing celebrating modern technology's role in home entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Dancing is delightful to the music of the Victrola Every one enjoys dancing to music of such splendid volume, such clearness and perfect rhythm and the Victrola plays as long as any one wants to dance. The Victrola brings to you all kinds of music and entertain- ment, superbly rendered by the world’s greatest artists who make records Ar d a ates ¢ music or any other music you wish to hear. a Jie y of styles from $10 to $200. April 9, 1914 “HIS MASTERS VOICE” comicbooks.com