Life, 1920-02-12 · page 6 of 44
Life — February 12, 1920 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Victor Talking Machine Company advertisement**, not political satire. The page showcases the famous "His Master's Voice" trademark—a white dog (a fox terrier named Nipper) listening intently to a gramophone horn. The ad emphasizes that Victor's brand represents "supreme musical quality" and claims the company is "the world's largest and greatest musical industry." It references that twenty years prior, talking machines were considered novelties, but Victor has elevated them to fine art comparable to opera. The dog listening to the gramophone is meant to suggest that even a simple animal recognizes quality sound reproduction—a humorous way to convey the product's superiority. This iconic image became one of advertising's most recognizable symbols, still used today.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
258 : | The trademark of supreme musical quality *LIFE* _ SFIS ILI LL LLL IL IT PID Ie which identifies the worlds largest and greatest musical industry Twenty years ago the talking-machine was a triviality. Today the Victrola is an instrument of Art. The ex- clusive Victor processes have lifted the making and the playing of musical records into the realm of the fine arts and rendered them delightful to the most keenly sensitive ear. Opera singers and musicians of world- wide fame are glad to be enrolled as Victor artists. Every important improvement that has transformed this “plaything” into an exquisite and eloquent instru- ment of the musical arts originated with the Victor. The Victor plant, the largest and oldest of its type in the world, is the world-center of great music. No other organization in the world is so qualified by experience, by resources, and by artistic equipment to produce supreme quality as the Victor Company. Its products convey more great music by great artists to more people throughout the world than all other makes combined. The pioneer in its field, the Victor Talking Machine Company today remains the pre-eminent leader. The famous trademark ‘‘His Master’s Voice,” with the little dog, is on every Victrola (look inside the lid) and on the label of every Victor Record. It is your guarantee of the highest musical quality. Look for it. Insist. upon finding it. If you wish the best, buy nothing which does not contain this trademark. New Victor Records on sale at all dealers on the 1st of each month VICTROLA Victor Talking Machine Co., Camden, N. J. comicbooks.com