Life, 1918-02-28 · page 40 of 40
Life — February 28, 1918 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. Published in *Life* magazine (February 28, 1918), it promotes Columbia's Grafonola phonograph. The page depicts a luxurious sales experience: a well-dressed woman (in profile, shown as elegant and refined) observes two gentlemen examining a phonograph at a Columbia dealer's showroom. The ad emphasizes the dealer's customer service—he lets you audition multiple records before purchasing. The messaging targets affluent buyers: Columbia positions itself as superior through direct comparison and a premium showroom experience. Prices ranged from $18 to $2,100, indicating models for different wealth levels. The tagline "Food will win the war. Don't waste it" reflects 1918 wartime messaging (U.S. entered WWI in 1917), suggesting even luxury advertising acknowledged national priorities. This is straightforward commercial promotion, not satirical commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Buying a Phonograph the Columbia Way When you go to a Columbia store the dealer knows exactly what you want. He knows you came to hear music. He is glad you came. “You can’ select as many records as you wish to hear, and he will play them for you or let you play them. The better you know and the more you com- pare the Columbia Grafonola with other phono- graphs, the more the Columbia Grafonola will attract you. In a test, the Grafonola always appears at its best. Fad ait asic Sak Columbia Grafonolas are priced at $18 to $250. Peiiod designs up to $2100. Don hese, COLUMBIA GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, NEW YORK