Life, 1924-03-27 · page 36 of 36
Life — March 27, 1924 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a full-page advertisement, not political satire. It promotes Parker's Duofold fountain pen, emphasizing luxury craftsmanship and value. The bird illustration (a Scarlet Tanager) serves as a decorative header, comparing the pen's beauty to nature. The ad's primary strategy is highlighting manufacturing efficiency: Parker claims to produce 10,000-12,000 pens daily, enabling cost savings passed to consumers. Key selling points include: a gold-reinforced cap (previously $1 extra, now free), a 25-year guarantee on the iridium writing point, and careful hand-inspection of each pen. The ad notes that reclaimed gold dust from factory sweepings yields significant value ($2,500 mentioned). For modern readers: this represents pre-Depression consumer marketing emphasizing both quality ("jewel-like smoothness") and affordability through mass production—a common advertising approach of the 1920s-30s era when fountain pens were essential luxury writing instruments.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
NEW YORK - *RICH GOLD GIRDLE REINFORCES CAP—WAS $1 LIFE - Yet Guarantee Point 25 Years / Rivals the beauty of the Scarlet ‘Tanager As High as $2500 in Gold Dust Reclaimed from Factory Sweepings Even Greater Savings Made Through Large Production 'OR months we've been shipping up to 10,000 and 12,000 Parker pens a day. We could sell more if we could make them—indeed demand seems boundless. But Duofold craftsmanship cannot be turned on in any quantity like water. Every Iridium tip, for example, is skil- fully fused in the extra thick gold point by hand. Then it's polished toa jewel-like smoothness, and this is skow—for this tip is the hardest metal known. Five times every point is inspected by experts. And each pen is filled with ink and written with, before the final O. K. Equal skill, equal care, go into other Duofold parts right up to the last loving touch—the handsome * Gold Girdle that reinforces the cap. This Girdle was $1 extra—now free—due to savings made by large production and efficiency. Look—to reclaim the gold dust, we wash employes’ clothes, and save factory With The Duofold Jr.$s Same except for size THE PARKER PEN COMPANY -: Manufacturers also of Parker “Lucky Lock” Pencils CHICAGO 25 Year Point Lady Duofold $5 With ring for chatelaine sweepings. Recently, here, one rubbish heap yielded us $2500 in gold. Yes, Parker Duofold would cost $10 or more if made in ordinary ways and small quantities. You virtually save $3, and get the most economical pen on earth, For we guarantee the point for 25 years—not only for mechanical perfection, but wear! The polished Iridium tip alone costs us $2340 a pound—three times more than ordinary. It suits all hands, It needs no “breaking in.” Nostyle of writing can dis- tort it—hence a pen youcan lend with pride —not fear. That's why the Parker Duo- fold is used to register guests in fine hotels. No pen is a genuine Duofold unless stamped—“Geo.S. Parker —DUOFOLD —Lucky Curve.” Look carefully. Good pen counters will sell you this classic on 30 days’ approval—black-tipped lacquer-red, or flashing black all over. Don't miss it. JANESVILLE, THE PARKER FOUNTAIN PEN COMPANY, LIMITED, TORONTO, CANADA EXTRA—NOW FREE SAN FRANCISCO - WISCONSIN SPOKANE comicbooks.com