Life, 1920-02-26 · page 40 of 40
Life — February 26, 1920 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an advertisement, not a political cartoon. It promotes Columbia's Grafonola (an early gramophone/phonograph) by associating it with high-end grand opera. The image shows an operatic soprano in an elaborate costume mid-performance, with her arm raised dramatically. The ad claims that Columbia Records feature exclusive performances by famous opera singers of the era (Ponselle, Hackett, Stracciari, and others named). The Grafonola cabinet is displayed as a piece of quality furniture. The message: owning this phonograph allows consumers to enjoy world-class opera performances in their homes. This reflects the 1920s marketing strategy of positioning recorded music technology as a luxury good for the cultured middle class.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
RAND OPERA as presented by such stars as Ponselle, Hackett, Stracciari, Lazaro, Barri entos, Rothier and Mar- dones exclusively through Columbia Records on the Columbia Grafonola is music at its best. COLUMBIA GRA Standard Models up to $3 Period up to $2100 COLUMBIA GRAPHOPHONE COMPANY, New York Canadian Factory: Toronto comicbooks.com