Life, 1919-10-16 · page 36 of 36
Life — October 16, 1919 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Columbia Grafonola phonograph, positioning it as a device that transcends mere mechanical reproduction—the text claims it delivers "immortal music" rather than just recordings or artists. The imagery depicts a romantic, operatic scene (likely from the opera *Faust*, as mentioned in the text), with figures in period costume. The ad names three "exclusive Columbia artists"—Maria Barrientos, Hipolito Lazaro, and José Mardones—performing in *Faust* to establish the device's cultural prestige. The right side shows the actual product: an ornate wooden cabinet-style phonograph priced between $75-$2,100. For modern readers: this reflects early 20th-century marketing strategy—associating a consumer product with high art and celebrity performers to justify premium pricing. The grandiose language ("magical voice," "immortal music") exemplifies period advertising hyperbole.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A MAGICAL VOICE OF ABI The Columbia Grafonola is gr or any musical in instruments in one m oi . tis the supreme artistry of slum fonola that,’ i 1, you forget in-\ strument, record, and artist alike — only the soul of immortal music thrills To make a good record great, play it on the Columbia Grafon COLUMBIA GRAPHOPHONE COMPAN New York. London Factory: | er.well Road, EC. Maria Barrientos, if Lazaro, Columbia artists in Faust” Columbia Graf —Standard XA up to $300; P Designs up to $2100 comicbooks.cqgiy