Life, 1915-05-06 · page 37 of 56
Life — May 6, 1915 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Kodak camera advertisement**, not political satire. It appears in *Life* magazine (page 813) and promotes the No. 1 Autographic Kodak Special. The famous slogan "If it isn't an Eastman, it isn't a Kodak" references **George Eastman**, founder of Eastman Kodak Company, establishing brand authority and market dominance. This was legitimate advertising language, not satire—Eastman Kodak essentially *owned* the consumer camera market in this era. The ad emphasizes portability, quality, ease of use, and the "autographic" feature (allowing photographers to write captions directly on negatives). Prices range from $36–$56 depending on lens configuration. For modern readers: this represents early 20th-century consumer photography marketing, when Kodak monopolized the market. The tone is straightforward corporate promotion, not humorous commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
rom book- om Live's addressed Lf tt isn’t an Eastman, tt isn’t a Kodak, The No. 1 Autographic KODAK, Specia/ Small enough to go in your pocket— conveniently. Good enough to do any work that any hand camera will do—satisfactorily. SPEED. The Shutter has a speed of 1/300 of a second and slower controllable speeds to one second—also has the time and bulb actions, and is large enough to give the full benefit of the anastigmat denses with which the camera is listed. QUALITY. All the way through the No. 1 Autographic Kodak Specia/ has that mechanical precision, that nicety of adjustment and finish that gives the distinction of ‘‘class’’. SIZE. The pictures are 214 x 314 inches; the camera measures but 134 x 33¢ x 65% inches, in spite of the fact that its equipment provides for anastigmat lenses of the highest speed. AUTOGRAPHIC. It is ‘‘autographic’’, of course. All the folding Kodaks now are. You can date and title the negative easily and permanently at the time you make the exposure. SIMPLICITY. Effective as it is, the Kodak Idea, Simplicity, has not for one moment been lost sight of, there are no complications. The No. 1 Autographic Kodak, Specia/, has the refinements that appeal to the expert—to the beginner it offers no confusing technicalities. THE PRICE. No. 1 Autographic Kodak Special, with Zeiss-Kodak Anastigmat lens, .6.3, Do., with Cooke Kodak Anastigmat lens, f.6.3, : : : : - - Do., with Zeiss-Tessar, Series Ic lens, f.4.5, - - - . - - - ~ All Kodak Dealers’. EASTMAN KODAK CO., ROcHESTER, N. Y., The Kedak City.