Life, 1916-11-16 · page 4 of 46
Life — November 16, 1916 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire page** — it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for the Victrola, an early phonograph/record player manufactured by Victor Talking Machine Co. The page features portraits of four famous opera and classical music artists (Caruso, Farrar, Schumann-Heink, and Ruffo) who recorded exclusively for Victor Records. The advertisement's central claim is that the Victrola reproduces their performances with superior fidelity compared to competitors. The accompanying text emphasizes the instrument's popularity and endorsement by "the world's greatest artists," positioning it as essential home entertainment for music lovers. A product image shows the Victrola XVI model priced at $300. This represents early 20th-century luxury marketing leveraging celebrity endorsement and technological superiority claims — no satire intended.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Victrola The chosen instrument of the world’s greatest artists The instrument which plays the greatest music is the instrument you want in yourhome! The Victrola is supreme. Its supremacy is founded on a basis of great things actually accomplished. It is in millions of homes the world over because it takes into these homes all that is best in every branch of music and entertainment. The artists who make records exclusively for the Victor are the greatest artists in the world. The Victrola tone is the true and faithful tone of the singer’s voice and the master’s instrument. It is for this reason that the Victrola is the chosen instrument of practically every artist famous in the world of opera, instrumental music, sacred music, band music, dance music, vaudeville and entertainment. Go today toa Victor dealer’s and listen to this instru- ment for yourself. Hear Caruso or Melba or Elman or Harry Lauder or Sousa’s Band on the Victrola. Victors and Victrolas—$10 to $400. Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J, U.S.A. Berliner Gramopbone Co., Montreal, Canadiaa Distributors Important warning. Victor Records can be safely and satisfactorily played only with Victor Needles and Tungs-tone Stylus on Victors or Victrolas. Victor Records cannot be safely played on machines with Jeweled or other re- producing points. New Victor Records demonstrated at all dealers on the 28th of each month. To insure Victor quality, always look for the famous trademark, “His Master's Voice.” It 1s on every Victrola and every Victor Record, It is the only way to identify genuine Victrolas and Victor Records,