Life, 1917-11-15 · page 2 of 40
Life — November 15, 1917 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement** for the Columbia Grafonola (an early phonograph/record player), not a political cartoon. The page features: - A large illustration of a violin labeled "Tone" at top - An image of the wooden Grafonola cabinet machine - Marketing copy emphasizing sound quality, comparing the phonograph's reproduction to a Paganini violin's tone The advertisement argues that "tone is the great criterion" for judging musical instruments, claiming the Columbia Grafonola achieves superior sound reproduction through superior construction—specifically its "tone-arm" and "tone-leaves." There is **no political satire or social commentary** on this page. It's straightforward early 20th-century product marketing targeting consumers interested in home music reproduction technology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Published every Thursday, Annual Subscription Five Dollars. Single Copies, Tea Ceats Price fa Englund, Siapence. is co Chass att Deporiment, Coase Colembia Grafoaola, Price $200 Order models $15 to $330 Prices in Canada plus duty Tone is the great criterion by which to judge any musical instru- ment. The violin of a Paganini is worthy the master’s bow—it has the master tone. Its exact duplicate, lacking this magic quality, is but a shell of varnished wood. Judge the Columbia Grafonola by its tone. Hear the record played upon it respond with a richer warmth, a sweeter reso- nance, a truer feeling. This wonderful tone is the result of the perfected detail of Columbia construction—the generous-sized re- producer, the smooth, correctly shaped tone-arm, the distinctive Columbia tone-leaves that control the volume of sound. Consider the vital importance of tone. It is the thing which, in the end, will enable the Columbia—and only the Columbia Grafonola—to satisfy completely your longing for music that is faithfully, beautifully reproduced. Look for the “ music-note” trade mark—the mark of a genuine Columbia Grafonola — Ball HE I Are hi Ors (Or But th The He mi The s In| "Mid « Or But Or as Or He m