Life, 1923-05-10 · page 36 of 36
Life — May 10, 1923 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire or comics. It promotes the Victrola No. 300 phonograph by leveraging the fame of opera singer Maria Jeritza, who was indeed a Metropolitan Opera sensation during the 1922-1923 season. The advertisement's strategy was to associate the phonograph with high culture and prestige—Jeritza's operatic recordings (listed from Wagner operas like *Flying Dutchman* and *Lohengrin*) served as premium content to justify the machine's cost ($250-$290, substantial money in 1923). The circular portrait and listing of her recordings functioned as celebrity endorsement. For modern readers, the significance is that phonograph companies marketed devices through classical music recordings and famous performers, positioning record players as aspirational luxury goods for cultured middle-class homes. This represents early 20th-century consumer marketing before radio dominance.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Victrola No. 300 250 Electric, $290 Mahogany, oak or walnut Other styles $25 to $1500 The greatest artists are Victor artists The appearance of Jeritza was one of the sensations of the Metropolitan Opera season of 1922-1923. Play the Victor Records of this great artist on the Victrola No. 300—the model illus- trated above. Have the instrument with a selection of records delivered to your home today. Some of the splendid Victor Records by Jeritza are Flying Dutchman—A Ship the Restless Ocean Sweeps 74776 $1.75 Lohengrin—Elsa’s Dream : 74749 1.75 The id City—Song of the Lute __ 66057 1.25 Tannhauser—Elizabeth’s Prayer 74760 1.75 ASIN NNIA 23 Victrola MASTERS: sag eienr ore Important: Look for these trade-marks. Under the lid. On the label. Victor Talking Machine Company, Camden, New Jersey comicbooks.com