Life, 1923-01-25 · page 36 of 36
Life — January 25, 1923 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Victor Talking Machine Company advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Victrola phonograph and Victor Records catalog. The illustration shows an orchestra and opera performers standing on an open record catalog, symbolizing the vast musical repertoire available. The ad's central claim is hyperbolic: even combining all world performances couldn't match Victor's catalog selection. The marketing pitch emphasizes **consumer choice and control**—you select which artists and music you want to hear, rather than attending live performances. Prices range from $25 to $1500, positioning Victrolas across economic classes. The "His Master's Voice" trademark (bottom left) was Victor's iconic logo, showing a dog listening to a gramophone horn. This reflects early 1920s consumer culture, when recorded music was a relatively new luxury that promised unprecedented access to world-class performances at home.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Victor The music of all the world 1s teeluetmme = in the Victor Record Catalog If all the performances of great music given throughout the world were combined in one mammoth program, they would not even then approxi- mate the music listed for your enjoyment in the Victor Record the artists you wish to hear. 2% | New Victor Records on sale «’ by all dealers in Victor prod-*" ucts on the Ist of each month.*: \s Victrolas $25 to $1500. a+ Victrola REG _U.S PAT. OFF. _ Important: Look for these trade-marks. Under the lid. On the label. Victor Talking Machine Company, Camden, New Jersey |} i: comicbooks.com