Life, 1915-12-09 · page 5 of 48
Life — December 9, 1915 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes the Aeolian-Vocalion phonograph, manufactured by The Aeolian Company of New York. The ad emphasizes the phonograph's superior sound quality and its innovative "Graduela device," which allows users to control musical expression and emotional nuance—claims positioning it against competitors. The text highlights features like "full, deep-toned vibrancies" and suggests the device enables personal artistic interpretation during playback. Three phonograph cabinet models are illustrated with prices ranging from $75 to $300, showcasing different decorative styles. The "Vocalion plays itself" tagline promises ease of use. This reflects early-20th-century consumer marketing during the phonograph era, before radio dominance, targeting middle and upper-class households seeking high-quality home entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
tests to which a phonograph can be put. Hear their tones produced in utter purity, as the result of scientific improvements in Sound reproduction, Do you wish to hear at /ast full, deep- toned vibrancies of volume on a phonograph? Try a ’cello selection and you will realize that the Vocalion is producing new, rounded tonal beauties actually buried in records “till the Vocalion came.” Is it a dance the young folks want? You simply “set” and start a record and theVocalion will play itself just as do the older-fashioned phonographs, but with a remarkable wave- lifting, carrying quality of tone-richness only possible to this /atest type of phonograph. Do we crave musical expression—that in- stinctive desire which every man or woman feels in life? We take in our hand the revo- lutionary Graduola device, and by the easy, graduated pressure of it, we express every subtlest variation of our mood; and the feel- ing which we press into that music seems to come from our very soul itself. We are experiencing a new joy from the phonograph, the only phonograph which grants us this priceless boon of self-expression; and it gives it to us merely as an added privi- lege to be exercised or not as we see fit! For the Vocalion plays itself if you prefer it, and without the slightest personal variation of a record. Vv fotwithstanding the marked superiority of the Aeolian- Vocation and the fact that in appear- ance it sets an entirely new standard, its cost is moderate. It may be obtained in a variety of beau- tiful conventional models costing from $35 upward. Also in a number of superb Art designs from $450 upward. The Aeolian -Vocalion is made exclusively by the Aeolian Company. Owing to its relatively limited output, it is on exhibition and sale, at present, only in certain cities. To all who write, information as to where it may be seen will be sent. Also there will be mailed a catalog giving styles and prices and containing the most interesting popular treatise on “tone” and “tone-production” probably ever published. Address Dept. B 12. THE AEOLIAN COMPANY AEOLIAN HALL — - NEW YORK Makers of the famous Pianola and largest manufacturers of musical instruments in the world, The A FOLIAN-VOCALION “THE PHONOGRAPH OF RICHER TONES WHICH YOU CAN PLAY” Acolian-Vocalion Style F875 Art Vocalion, Style M—$600 We show here three from among the many beautiful models in which Aeolian- Vocation Style K—$300 the Acolian-Vocalion may be obtained. comicbooks.com