Life, 1921-07-07 · page 14 of 34
Life — July 7, 1921 — page 14: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
**"Deductive History"** (top): A satirical piece imagining an archaeologist in 5001 A.D. discovering a 1921 *Life* magazine in New York's ruins. The joke is that future scholars will misinterpret 1921 New Yorkers' habits—their constant use of patent medicines, smooth grooming, and obsession with underwear advertisements—as evidence of a civilization plagued by digestive problems and vanity. **"Material Difference"** (cartoon): Shows a couple debating party preferences; the joke turns on class differences in entertainment. **King Solomon cartoon** (bottom): Depicts Solomon examining bracelets, with the caption playing on jealousy and materialism—a satirical commentary on wealth, desire, and human nature across historical periods. All pieces use humor to critique 1921 American consumer culture and vanity.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
12 Deductive History N a bright May day in the year 5001 A.D., an archaeologist who had dug up a subway car and studied care- fully its faded advertisements, was reading to a group of pic- nicking antiquarians a paper entitled, “Life in New York, 1921.” The paper was of especial interest, inasmuch as the read- ing took place among the ruins of the once great metropolis. The professor first spoke of the methods he had employed in gathering his information, of the great help the time- worn placards had afforded him in his deductions; then went on in the easy, confident voice of one who knows his little book, to describe the habits and customs of these LIFE indigestion, and living almost ‘entirely on pills and patent medicines. Their simplicity may be judged by the tremen- dous delight they displayed over the satisfaction of their most elementary needs; a smooth shave rendering them rapturous, a bar of chocolate filling them with — ecstacy, They spent almost all of their time going about in their un- derwear; and to judge by the absence from this conveyance of all advertisements for spir- ituous beverages, they never knew the taste of strong liquor—” But the man of science got no further. He had no sooner uttered these words than 6,000,000 New Yorkers of the simple, unsophisticated period of the Nineteen-Twenties turned 6,000,000 mirthful somersaults in their graves, and the antiquaries’ party broke up in an earthquake. atidene doles Material Difference “The New Yorkers of 1921 “Now that Estelle is engaged, I suppose you are going were a simple, smiling, happy to give her a linen shower.” people, suffering greatly from “No; she said she preferred a lawn party.” Cyril B. Egan. King Solomon (examining a , ee which the dealer has brought for his approval): If you can get me a thousand bracelets exactly like this one, I'll take them. I don’t want any jealousy in my family. comicbooks.com