Life — July 12, 1923 — page 40: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a **cigarette advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It appeared in *Life* magazine and promotes Chesterfield cigarettes. The ad features a man in a suit saying "Don't I know it?" while holding a cigarette. The large decorative "S" frames the composition. A pack of Chesterfield cigarettes is displayed at bottom. The manufacturer's claim (Liggett & Myers Tobacco Co.) states their tobacco is "finer quality (and hence of better taste) than in any other cigarettes at the price." The humor is mild—the man's knowing expression and casual phrase suggest satisfied confidence in the product. This represents typical mid-20th century cigarette advertising that made quality claims and associated smoking with sophistication and contentment, before health warnings became standard.