Life, 1923-09-13 · page 8 of 36
Life — September 13, 1923 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **satirical advertising** rather than political commentary. Life magazine humorously offers a fake "Shoplifting Service" — claiming to acquire small items for readers while avoiding store detectives and "unpleasant motor rides" (arrest). The items advertised include practical goods: a collapsible headache bottle for Canadian border crossings ($18), military brushes ($25), a vanity bag ($15), and denture slip covers ($13). The bottom illustration labeled "Seen in the Shops" depicts well-dressed shoppers examining merchandise marked "Remnants 49¢ YD," satirizing the desperation of bargain-hunting during what appears to be an economically challenging period. The caption jokes about discovering "additives" in stores, suggesting product quality concerns. The humor targets consumerism and economic anxieties of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Collapsible headache bottle for crossing the Canadian border. Holds two quarts. LIFE’S SHOPLIFTING SERVICE N order that you may acquire at minimum expense the little trifles you need, and at the same time be d the annoyance of store detec- nd the ennui of unpleasant mo- tor rides, Lire has instituted a con- venient Shoplifting Service. Let our experts do your shoplifting for you! Let us save you crime and trouble. The articles shown here are guaran- teed to be exactly as they appear. Shall we pick these up for you the next time the floorwalker isn’t look- Sent to you postpaid. (We se your check to cover carriage charges, bail, etc.) A gift for him. Military brushes adorned with his monogram or favorite tattoo mar Note the stanchness of the bristle sprouts. He will appreciate them, espe- cially if he is bald. $25, The reader who keep up with moder and yet keep up appearance will welcome this disguise slip cover. Made of best quality asbestos. $15. SEEN IN THE SHOPS Dainty vanity bag milady’s for wrist on her Monday outing. $45. In searching the stores for oddities we discovered these. To test them, rub them the wrong way. comicbooks.com