Life, 1920-02-05 · page 35 of 52
Life — February 5, 1920 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a full-page advertisement for The Cheney, a phonograph (record player) manufactured by the Cheney Talking Machine Company of Chicago. The ad promotes the machine's superior sound quality, emphasizing "acoustic science" and "cabinet-making" as sources of distinction. The central image shows an ornate wooden cabinet phonograph with decorative details and claw feet, typical of 1920s-era design. The copy claims The Cheney plays all records "better than ever they were played before" and boasts proprietary patents for tone reproduction. A small diagram in the lower left shows "the violin-shaped resonator" — the acoustic innovation supposedly responsible for superior sound. This represents early 20th-century consumer marketing: appealing to aspirational buyers seeking both quality sound technology and attractive home furniture.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ee i : The Spirit of USIC, joyous as the song of birds, lives inThe "Cheney. Transcendent beauty of tone, the gift of acoustic science, and consummate art in cabinet-making, give The Cheney unique distinction. Cheney tone supremacy rests securely upon basic patents which cover an entirely original application of acoustic principles to the problem of tone reproduction. ———— This master instrument plays all records— better than ever they were The violin-shaped resona- torof The Cheney creates played before. true tonal beauty and OuENEY TAEET NG) Mee Sou racy - entice aco adds rare quali to vocal DEALEAS EVERYWHERE oe harncsonel soc CThe CHENEY comicbooks.com