Life, 1916-12-07 · page 67 of 94
Life — December 7, 1916 — page 67: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Christmas advertisement**, not a cartoon or satire. It promotes "Community Plate" silverware as a gift, displaying flatware (knife, fork, spoons) arranged against a decorative background. The ad's appeal relies on **social status signaling**. It claims Community Plate is favored by wealthy, prominent families—specifically naming socialites like Mrs. O.H.P. Belmont, the Vanderbilts, and the Churchills. For a modern reader, this is straightforward luxury marketing: the product gains prestige through association with established American wealth and European nobility. The text emphasizes "beautiful designs" and "distinguished families," positioning silverware as aspirational consumer goods suitable for formal entertaining. Priced at $5 per teaspoon (expensive for the era), it targets middle-to-upper-class readers of *Life* magazine who could afford such items. There is no political satire here—just period advertising that equates tableware with social respectability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-CHRISTMAS LIFE- ; HAT more aque Gil than Community Plate—either a new outht for her table, or pethaps those few special jp pieces she wants for occasions. ui ‘She knows — every woman knows Commtunity Plate; its beautiful designs, its assured 8 , and the position it holds with the most distinguished families of America and ‘Among the many patrons of Community Plate may be mentioned Mrs. O. H. P. Belmont, } Churchill, Me. Olver Harriman, Max F. C Havemeyer, Mr. Honoré Palmer , Marchioness of Dufferin, and Mrs, Reginald C. Vanderbilt. Teaspoons $5.00 the Daaen At your service for $0 years comicbooks.com