Life, 1921-02-03 · page 37 of 46
Life — February 3, 1921 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Addressograph, an early mechanical addressing machine (precursor to modern label makers). The page features a photograph of a man operating the device, surrounded by sample business documents and newspaper clippings from "14 Famous Firms" endorsing the technology. The headline promises a "FREE TRIAL" to demonstrate cost-cutting benefits. The satirical element is minimal—it's a straightforward commercial appeal to business owners struggling during economically uncertain times (the text references being "oversold" yesterday but needing orders today, suggesting post-war or recession conditions). The "joke" is really a sales pitch: the Addressograph supposedly performs work "15 times faster than pen or typewriter! No errors!" The coupon at bottom lists various industries (theaters, factories, laundries, creameries) where the machine supposedly helped cut costs. This represents early-20th-century business automation marketing—selling efficiency to cash-strapped enterprises.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ter Trade Winning - Preseription' 14 Famous Firms Tell Why I’s Worth A FREE Trial For Getting Business and Cutting Costs ESTERDAY you were oversold. Today you want orders! The best selling short- g cuts therefore interest you. One of these stories fits your case —gives you ideas for boosting your sales! No matter where your interest centers—in SELLING or PRODUCTION 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 CLIP AND MAIL WITH YOUR LETTERHEAD your clerk, ae ; . si Folders checked mailed without obligation ells goods and service quickly assis 8 Fills in and dates form letters Hee te Ct a a a eves Addresses envelopes and circulars () Burroughs Adding Machine Co.'s Method Heads up and dates statements How a small nor fh te by Ha Lists payroll and routing sheets city’s bus Addresses shipping tags and shop orders— OD How’a creamery gets the best milk $s 15 times faster than pen or typewriter! No errors! Hand- Payrolt: , operated Ribbon-print Addressograph costs but $70. TRY IT Armour and Co. § shortcuts, 10 DAYS WITHOUT COST OR OBLIGATION. bdicete Conn Sales and Plate Embossing Stations in These Cities 5 Blue Valley Creamery system. i a x tN. J. Sen >. ycheck writing systems. Grand Rapids m Mich. New Orleasiy La se con " ela, Houston, Texas RB NY. 8 : lections: ri Kanese Cap, Stor sacig SE Pout, Minn, QA small retailer's methods. Los Angeles, Calif. itesburgh. Pa. Toledo, Ohio Marshall Field & Co.'s way. . Minweapolis, Minn si Washington, D.C O The Pilgrim Laundry's system. Speeding Factory Production: CO Aultman & Taylor's Factory routing system. P Dividend Systems: O U.S. Steel Co,'s methods. RACE MARK Roating Shortcuts: 917 W. Van Buren St DA laundry’ 's methods. CHICAGO PRINTS FROM TYPE, 743 Broadway | {Speeding creamery shipments. NEW YORK | (1) Free Trial Hand Addressograph. CANADIAN HEAD OFFICE—70 Bay St., TORONTO Montreal Ottawa Winnipeg comicbooks.com