Life, 1920-09-30 · page 33 of 40
Life — September 30, 1920 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not a cartoon or satirical content** — it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for Ruud automatic gas water heaters, appearing in *Life* magazine (page 593). The ad promotes convenient hot water for domestic use across bathrooms, kitchens, and laundries. Key selling points include: instant heating via copper coils, no constant maintenance, and unlimited hot water supply "morning, noon, and mid-night." Notably, the copy emphasizes how the heater "lightens the work of servants, makes them more contented" — reflecting early 20th-century household dynamics where servants' labor was a concern for affluent homeowners. This detail reveals the target market: wealthy families with domestic staff. The illustration shows the tall cylindrical heater unit; a smaller diagram depicts it installed vertically. The ad lists Pittsburgh headquarters and a Toronto branch, indicating North American distribution. This is simply period advertising, not satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
RUUD HOT WATER Means hot water in your home—in bathroom, kitchen, laundry _ Hot water is second to nothing _ inmaking your home comfortable., A Ruud Water Heater gives pip- ing hot water instantly; it heats the water as it flows through a series of rust-proof copper coils. The water comes fresh from the mains. The on and off of any hot-water faucet regulates the heating—elimi- nating delay and waste, furnish- ing HOT WATER in unlimited quantity, morning, noon, and mid- night. The Ruud lightens the work of servants, makes them more con- tented, and helps keep the whole household running smoothly. RUUD Warer’HeaTer “Hot Water All Over the House” Ruud Automatic Gas Water Heaters need practically no looking after — they go in the basement or kitchen, and you get Ruud Hot Water at the turn of any hot- water faucet. Over 150,000 homes have Ruud Hot _ Water any time and in any quantity in- stantly—from a cupful to many tubfuls. Your gas company or plumber, or gas- appliance dealer will tell you about the Ruud and will demonstrate it for you. Write for our interesting book on Ruud Hot Water Service. Address RUUD MANUFACTURING COMPANY Dept. C Pittsburgh, Pa. Makers of Standardized Gas Water Heaters Ruud Manufacturing Company of Canada, 371 Adelaide St. W., Toronto comicbooks.com