Life, 1915-02-25 · page 3 of 44
Life — February 25, 1915 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satirical content** — it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for the Victrola, a cabinet-style phonograph manufactured by Victor Talking Machine Co. in Camden, New Jersey. The ad emphasizes the Victrola's superior sound quality, claiming it reproduces "the pure and varied tones of every musical instrument" with fidelity "unknown before." It highlights patented features like the "goose-neck" sound-box tube, concealed sounding boards, and modifiable doors for volume control. The "His Master's Voice" Victor logo appears at bottom. The page includes a technical diagram of the Victrola XVI model priced at $200 in oak or mahogany. This represents early 20th-century consumer marketing for what was cutting-edge audio technology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
That’s where on. the Victrola is pre-eminent The Victrola brings to you the pure and varied tones of every musical instrument, and the beauty and individuality of every human voice—all ab- solutely true to life. Such fidelity of tone was unknown before the advent of the Victrola—the first cabinet style talking-machine; and this pure and life-like tone is exclusively a Victrola feature. ‘*Why exclusive with the Victrola Because of the patented Victrola features, which have been perfected after years of study and experiment. “Goose-neck” sound-box tube—the flexible metal connection between the sound-box and tapering tone arm, which enables the Victor Needle to follow the record grooves with unerring accuracy. Concealed sounding-boards and amplifying compartment of wood—provide the very limit of area of vibrating surface and sound amplifying compartment, so absolutely essential to an exact and pure tone reproduction. Modifying doors—may be opened wide, thereby giving the tone in its fullest volume; or doors may be at any degree, graduating the volume of tone to exactly suit 'y requirement. Closed tight, the volume is reduced to the minimum, and when not in use the interior is fully protected. Victor system of changeable needles—a perfect reproduction is possible only with a perfect point—therefore a new needle for each record is the only positive assurance of a perfect point. You also have your choice of full tone, half tone or further modification with the fibre needle. y >”? It is the perfection of every part, and its perfect combination with all other parts, that gives the Victrola its superior tone—that makes the Victrola the greatest of all musical instruments. There are Victrolas in great variety from $15 to $200 and any Victor dealer will gladly demonstrate them and play any music you wish to hear. Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J., U.S. A. Berliner Gramophone Co., Montreal, Canadian Distributors Always use Victrolas with Victor Records and Victor Needles—the combination. There is no other way to get the unequaled Victrola tone. Cee “Goose-neck tube and tone arm System of changeable needles Victrola XVI, Oak or mahogany comichooks.