Life, 1921-09-01 · page 4 of 35
Life — September 1, 1921 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **luxury soap advertisement**, not political satire. The ad promotes "Shah of Persia Transparent Soap" by Crystal Soap Co., priced at $1.00 per three-cake box—expensive for 1921. The marketing strategy exploits **Orientalist appeal**: the product is positioned as exotic and precious, compared to jewels (specifically the Kohinoor diamond, noted in the sidebar). The copy emphasizes exclusivity for wealthy consumers willing to pay premium prices. The small illustration at bottom depicts a Persian court scene, reinforcing the "exotic luxury" brand identity rather than making any political statement. This reflects early 20th-century American marketing that capitalized on fascination with distant cultures and imperial imagery to sell high-end goods.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Lave: Vublished Weekly by Life Publishing. Entered as Second Clays Matter June 8, 1883 at the Post Office at New York, Company at 698 Madison Avenue, New York, N. Y. Nake ual Subscription, Five Dollars. vo. TB. No. 2020 under the act'of March 3d, 1879. Entered as Second Glass Matter at the Post Office Department, Canada. Copyright in England and the British Possessions. September 1, 1921, CnarLes DANA Gisson, P; ZORGE B. RICHARDSON, Jewets or As:a: The Kohinoor, famous diamond of history, was for centuries one cf the spoils of old-world war, possessed in turn by Persian Shah and Indian Rajah. In 1849 it was presented to Queen Victoria and is now one of the Bnitish Empire’s crown jewe.s. 6xpensive? Yes! But users would pay more Shah of Persia is a high priced soap, made for people who ap- preciate the best and are willing to pay for it. It is beautiful as a jewel, with the color, brilliance and sparkle of a topaz. It is alluring as a bouquet, exhaling the exotic mysterious per- fume of a garden in full bloom. Shah of Persia Transparent Soap is made by an exacting process from selected ingredients which are very costly. The price is $1.00 for a three-cake box. If your dealer can’t supply you, mail us one dollar and your dealer’s name, and we will send you a box postpaid. CRYSTAL SOAP CO., DEPT. 197—366 FIFTH AVE., NEW YORK comicbooks.com