Life, 1920-12-09 · page 31 of 44
Life — December 9, 1920 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **business-to-business advertisement**, not a cartoon. It promotes the Addressograph machine—an early mechanical device for printing addresses on envelopes, forms, and documents. The central image shows a man operating the machine, positioned among scattered business documents and case studies. The advertisement appeals to office workers, factory managers, and business owners by offering a "free 10-day trial" and promising the machine works "15 times faster than pen or typewriter." The pitch emphasizes practical applications: addressing mail, filling forms, managing payroll, and routing work. Four famous companies (Marshall Field, Burroughs, Pilgrim Laundry, and others) supposedly endorse the system through included case studies. This reflects early-20th-century enthusiasm for **mechanization and efficiency** in office work—themes central to business culture of the era. There is no political satire here; it's straightforward product marketing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
escription! ye Lrade Uinning What Makes A Business Gro 4 Famous Firms Tell Why ’s Worth A FREE Trial NE of these stories fits your case—gives you ideas for better handling your job! No matter where your interest centers —in SELLING or PRODUCTION—in a theater, factory or laundry—in advertising, collection, payroll, dividend, shipping or routing work—mail the coupon NOW! Then we'll send you the inside facts on how these business leaders are growing bigger. Their shortcuts cannot fail to help YOU. The Addressograph is an all-purpose machine. It prints thru a ribbon from typewriter style address plates easily made by your clerk, and— Sells goods and service quickly Fills in and dates form letters Addresses envelopes and circulars Heads up and dates statements Fills in office and factory forms Lists payroll and routing sheets Addresses shipping tags and shop orders 15 times faster than pen or typewriter! No Errors! Hand operated Ribbon- print Addressograph costs but $70. TRY IT 10 DAYS WITHOUT COST OR OBLIGATION. Mail coupon. Sales and Plate Embossing Stations in Fifty Cities 743 Broadway, New York CANADIAN HEAD OFFICE—70 Bay St, TORONTO Montreal Ottawa Winnipeg CLIP AND MAIL WITH YOUR LETTERHEAD Checked stories sent without obligation DIRECT MAIL ADVERTISING: LJ Marshall Field & Company's system. } Burroughs Adding Machine Company's methods. (How a small retailer profits by it (How a theater packs its house nightly How Chamber of Commerce booms city’s business. any's shortcuts. rrorless way, rr pany’s. system FREE g Blue Valley Creamery methods TRIAL FOR C) A small retailer’s plan. CO Marshal! Field & Company's way 10 DAYS “1 The Pilgrim Laundry's system. OTHER SHORTCUTS: } 2 & Taylor's factory row Steel Company's dividend dry routing metho Cl Speeding creamery shipm comicbooks.com