Life, 1921-01-06 · page 44 of 44
Life — January 6, 1921 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement for Victor Records and their catalog, not a political cartoon. It promotes the Victor Record catalog as "the world's best guide book to the enjoyment of music," emphasizing its educational value through questions about famous operas (Rigoletto, Faust, Pagliacci), national anthems, and classical composers like Chopin. The ad showcases Victor's products—a record, the catalog, and the "His Master's Voice" gramophone with its iconic dog trademark—to appeal to early 20th-century middle-class music enthusiasts. The pitch combines entertainment with cultural aspiration, suggesting that owning Victor Records and the catalog demonstrated refined taste and musical knowledge. This reflects the era when recorded music and phonographs represented cutting-edge consumer technology and a pathway to cultural self-improvement.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“The worldaabest gaidesbee to the enjoyment of music ~ ‘Entertaining _ .< Instructive ~~ © Convenient Are you familiar with the story of the opera of Rigoletto? Of Faust? Of Pagliacci? — S ‘Do-you know the national airs of Denmark and China? : zs Do you know which Kipling ballads have been set to music? Did you know that Chopin was pronounced a ‘ genius at eight years of age? Information on all these subjects is to be found within the 472 pages of the Victor Record catalog. It presents in™ alphabetical order, cross indexed, the thousands of Victor Records which comprise the greatest library of music ing all the world. But besides that it abounds: with interesting” musical knowledge which adds greatly to your enjoyment | - 5 of all music. It is a book every music-lover will.want, and gis BASTERS Soe there is a copy for you at your Victor dealer’s. Or write to ‘This trademark and the trademarked word “Victrola” entity ail oor producti. Look wader the id! Look of the label! us and we will gladly mail a copy to you. VICTOR TALKING MACHINE CO. { Camden, MN. J, Victor Talking Machine Company, Camden.N. — comicbooks.com