Life, 1914-11-19 · page 44 of 44
Life — November 19, 1914 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **tobacco advertisement**, not satire. The illustration depicts wealthy, fashionable men at an upscale afternoon tea dance ("Thés-Dansants")—a popular social venue of the era—rolling their own cigarettes from Bull Durham tobacco. The ad's appeal centers on a **paradox**: wealthy men of leisure and financial prominence are hand-rolling cheap cigarettes rather than purchasing pre-made ones. The advertisement frames this as sophisticated, fashionable behavior—suggesting that self-rolling demonstrates individual taste and skill, even among the elite. The text emphasizes the tobacco's "unique aroma" and the prestige of hand-crafting one's cigarettes. A free booklet on "how to roll your own" is offered. By 1914, this reflects genuine early-20th-century practice before mass-manufactured cigarettes fully dominated the market. The ad's humor lies in its implicit endorsement of humble self-rolling as a mark of refined taste among the wealthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
November 19, 1914 "Roll Your Own'"—It’s All the Fashion "Bull" Durham tobacco, fresh, delicious, satisfying beyond comparison, is the smoke par excellence of ultrasmart America. Any after- noon in the fashionable metropolis, men of affairs from the financial district, men of leisure from the most exclusive clubs, roll up in their motors to the popular Thés-Dansants and other favorite rendezvous, for a bit of light refresh- ment, a view of the dancing, and—most en- aed of all—a fragrant, fresh-rolled "Bull" urham Cigarette, fashioned by their own skill, to meet their individual requirements. GENUINE 66 99 book of SMOKING TOBACCO “papers” with each Sc sack "Bull" Durham is distinguished from all other tobaccos by a wonderful, delightful, unique aroma, that can instantly be recognized in the faintest trace of smoke. is no other fragrance like it in all the world. There "Bull"-Durham hand-made cigarettes are distinguished by the most agree- able smoothness, mellowness, mildness and freshness —a source of lasting satisfaction to millions of experienced smokers. FREE postal request. An illustrated booklet, showing how to "Roll Your Own," and a Book of cigarette papers, will both be mailed, free, to any address in U.S. on Address "Bull" Durham, Durham, N. C., Room 1295. THE AMERICAN TOBACCO COMPANY comicbooks.com