Life — December 5, 1918 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is a **full-page advertisement**, not a cartoon. It promotes sterling silver goods and jewelry from Reed & Barton (established 1825) and Theodore B. Starr, Inc. (established 1862), New York jewelers and silversmiths. The page displays three ornate silver vessels—two candlesticks flanking a decorative vase—to showcase the "distinctive character and design" of their sterling silver work. The ad emphasizes their stock of precious stones, jewelry, watches, stationery, and silver plate. This appears in a Christmas-themed issue of *Life* magazine, positioning luxury goods as holiday gift options for affluent readers. The decorative border and formal typography reflect early 20th-century advertising aesthetics.