Life, 1917-07-12 · page 33 of 40
Life — July 12, 1917 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **tobacco advertisement** for Tuxedo brand, not political satire. The top cartoon is a visual joke: three men in formal attire and bowler hats stand in a line, with the caption asking "How do you know Which is the Man?" The implication appears to be that they look identical—suggesting that Tuxedo tobacco's quality and "fragrance" reveals true character and distinguishes a man's worth. The ad's central claim—"Your Nose Knows"—positions fragrance as an infallible test of both tobacco quality and the smoker's character. This reflects early 20th-century advertising rhetoric conflating consumer choice with personal virtue. The lower section includes silhouettes of two figures on horseback and instructional diagrams showing how to test tobacco's aroma by rubbing it in one's palm, positioning sensory evaluation as scientific proof of superiority. The entire page is marketing copy rather than satirical commentary on contemporary events or figures.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
T xun | comicbooks.com HIOW do you know Which is the Man ? ‘Your Nose knows” Sight often deceives, but fragrance never. The pure ' fragrance of a. good tobacco proclaims not only the quality of the smoke but the character of the smoker. Choose your tobacco then by that infallible tést of pure fragrance—“Your Nose Knows.” For pure fragrance no tobacco compares with , Cfuxedo The Perfect Tobacco far Pipe and Cigarette Its fragrance is the fragrance of Nature, the sunny Blue Grass fragrance of Old Kentucky, where Tuxedo’s tender Burley leaves are grown, and cured, and blended—a pure fragrance all its own—“Your Nose Knows.” Try this Test:—Rub aJittle Tuxedo briskly in the palm of your hand to bring out its full aroma. Then smell it deep—its delici- ous, pure fragrance will convince you. Try this test with any other tobacco and we will let Tuxedo stand or fall on your judgment— “Your Nose Knows’’ Guorantond by 4 Races ees