Life, 1925-01-22 · page 36 of 36
Life — January 22, 1925 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a cartoon or satire page—it's a **full-page advertisement for Crane plumbing fixtures**, published in *Life* magazine. The image shows a luxurious bathroom display featuring the "Corwith" bathtub, designed to appeal to homemakers who equated cleanliness with white porcelain and enamel. The ad emphasizes the tub's aesthetic appeal ("beauty in the open") and hidden quality construction ("quality in all hidden fittings"). The marketing pitch targets aspirational middle-class consumers: the fixtures are described as stylish yet "within the reach of all," offering both elegant design and affordability. The mention of a free booklet, "The New Art of Fine Bathrooms," reflects early 20th-century positioning of bathroom modernization as both a practical and cultural achievement. This represents the era when indoor plumbing was becoming a standard home expectation rather than a luxury.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CRANE BEAUTY IN THE OPEN; CRANE QUALITY IN ALL HIDDEN FITTINGS For many home-makers, the clear white of porcelain or enamel is the essential seal of cleanliness in bathroom fixtures. To such, the new Crane Corwith bath will appeal instantly. Of cream-white enamel on iron, its lustrous surfaces are given added interest and distinction by the graceful modeling in four planes of its sides and ends. Play of light on these planes gives the Corwith a character that is lacking in severely plain fixtures. Your plumbing contractor will show you or secure for you a Corwith bath or any other plumbing or heating fixture in the wide variety that Crane supplies at prices within the reach of all. Let us send you a booklet of color schemes, “The New Art of Fine Bathrooms.” CRANE GENERAL OFFICES: CRANE BUILDING, 836 S. MICHIGAN AVENUE, CHICAGO CRANE LIMITED: CRANE BUILDING, 386 BEAVER HALL SQUARE, MONTREAL Branches and Sales Offices in One Hundred and Forty-cight Cities National Exhibit Rooms: Chicago, New York, Atlantic City, San Francixo and Montreal Werks: Chicas, Bridgeport, Birmingham, Chattancoga, Trenton and Montreal CRANE EXPORT CORPORATION: NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO, SHANGHAI, CHINA ENNETT, Lrv.. LONDON PARIS, NANTES, BRUSSELS Crane ¥ branch drainage fiting NN IM SITO0d4VINNIA comicbooks.com