Life, 1923-11-01 · page 40 of 41
Life — November 1, 1923 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire page**, but rather a **Victor Talking Machine Company advertisement** disguised as editorial content in *Life* magazine. The page features portraits of three famous recording artists—John McCormack (Irish tenor), Alma Gluck (soprano), and Sergei Rachmaninoff (composer/pianist)—with lists of their Victor Records and prices. The accompanying text promotes their exclusive or long-term contracts with Victor. The final section contains a disclaimer: Victor claims it did *not* monopolize talent through long-term contracts, stating most artist agreements are short-term and renewable. This appears defensive—likely responding to contemporary antitrust concerns about Victor's market dominance in recorded music. A Victrola phonograph model (priced $150) is pictured as a sales incentive. **For modern readers**: This represents early 20th-century celebrity endorsement advertising and corporate PR strategy, blending celebrity cachet with product promotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LIFE John McCormack’s faith in the Victrola and Victor Records as the one medium to effectually reproduce his voice is such that he made a contract with the Victor which does not ex. pire until 1938. Among his one hundred and fifty-eight records are: Double-faced Mother Machree (from “Barry of Ballymore’’) A Little Bit of Heaven i 768 $1.50 . Old Refrain d © Mishkin ‘ - " Cradle Song, 1915 g 752 150 Thank God for a Garden Venetian Song \ 786 1.50 That Alma Gluck has made as many as ninety-eight Victor Records speaks volumes. She herself has said she is proud to bea part of the great work the Victor is doing. Hear these records and you’ll know why: Double-faced The Brook Hark! Hark! The Lark 664 $1.50 Carry Me Back to Old Virginny (with Male Chorus) Old Black Joe with Male Chorus) ‘ ¢ Elégie (with Zimbalist) © Mishkin * Swedish Cradle Song (with Zimbalist) GLUCK —Victor Artist Rachmaninoff knows music; knows how to compose it, how to play it—and how it should be reproduced. It is sig- nificant that in the light of previous experience he chose the Victor to reproduce his art. His eighteen Victor Records include: Double-faced Serenade > 816 $1.50 Minuet (from “L’Arlesienne,” No. 1) Spinning Song Prelude in C Sharp Minor Liebesleid Valse in E Flat Major RACHMANINOFF -Victor Artist Because the Victor Company was the first to offer the public high-class music by great artists many people suppose it long ago secured control by contract of the best talent. This is not the fact. With but few exceptions, Victor contracts with artists are for short periods and in most cases they have been renewed several times. Less than half a dozen life contracts have been made and ali at the earnest request of the artists. Victor Quality is no idle slogan. Victrola No. 215 uality . $150 Tobe sure of Victor Products see the following trade- Mahogany or walnut . : marks—under the lid of every instrument and on the label Other styles $25 to $1500 of every record. Look under the lid and on the labels for these Victor trade-marks comicbooks.com