Life, 1920-12-02 · page 24 of 97
Life — December 2, 1920 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Christmas advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Columbia's "Grafonola" phonograph in period furniture designs. The ad uses a historical reference to make a lifestyle pitch: it compares the phonograph's cheerful music to the "riotous merrymaking" following King Charles II's restoration in England (1660), contrasting this joy against the austere "Puritan Blue Laws" that had preceded it. The implicit message: just as Charles II brought back merriment to England, this elegant phonograph will bring cultured entertainment to your home. The top image shows a lively 17th-century scene—the visual parallel to Charles II's court. The featured grafonola shown is styled as "Early English Design," positioning it as sophisticated period furniture. The ad lists exclusive Columbia recording artists (opera singers and classical performers), targeting affluent consumers seeking both musical quality and aesthetic refinement. This is consumer advertising leveraging historical nostalgia, not political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
-CHRISTMAS LIFE: a> SCRA 7 SSF > — A Few Exclusive Columbia Artists Barrientos Mardones Garden Ponselle Gordon — Romaine Hackett —_ Rothier Lazaro Stracciari Macbeth Van Gordon v Columbia Graphophone Co, New York Canadian Pactory Toronto rafonola IN PERIOD DESIGNS The original of this charming Grafonola design probably saw the riotous merrymaking that marked the restoration of Charles II in England. Dull care has no more chance with the music of the Grafonola than Puritan Blue Laws had when the Merry Monarch came back to his own. An instrument as beautiful as its music. A worthy ornament for the most exquisite home. Electrically operated. Starts and stops automatically, Early English sign Standard Models up to $300; Period comicbooks.com