Life, 1920-10-21 · page 5 of 44
Life — October 21, 1920 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Ruud Automatic Gas Water Heater, a home appliance manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (with a Canadian distributor in Toronto). The two octagonal photographs show women using hot water—one at a bathroom sink, another doing laundry or kitchen work. These images illustrate the product's convenience: unlimited hot water "all over the house" without waiting or maintenance. The smaller illustration on the left depicts the actual heater unit itself. The ad's messaging emphasizes labor-saving benefits for households and servants, typical of early 20th-century appliance marketing targeting middle-class homeowners concerned with domestic efficiency and comfort. This is straightforward commercial content rather than editorial cartoon or satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Homes with a Ruud know no hot-water limitations. Hot water a-plenty is always on tap, morning, noon, or night, fromany hot-water faucet in the house— bathroom, kitchen, or laundry. There is nothing to watch, RUUD nothing to fix, and nothing to wait for —the Ruud goes in the basement or other convenient place. Its service is instanta- neous and continuous, and there is no waste, because the Ruud heats only the water you use. AUTOMATIC GAS WATER HEATER “Hot Water All Over the House”’ Ruud Hot Water speeds up wash-days, helps servants do their work and makes them more contented. Every member of the family enjoys the instant service of the Ruud. Think what it means in home comfort to have water fresh from the mains heated instantly as it flows through rust-proof copper coils, Surely your home needs this convenience. Ask your gas company or your plumber or any gas-appliance dealer today about Ruud Hot Water. The Ruud is made in sizes to fit any home, no matter how small or how large. Write for our book on Ruud Hot Water—it’s Free RUUD MANUFACTURING COMPANY Dept.C Pittsburgh, Pa, Makers of Standardized Gas Water Heaters Ruud Manufacturing Co. of Canada: 371 Adelaide St. W., Toronto RUUD HOT WATER comicbooks.com