Life, 1925-08-06 · page 36 of 36
Life — August 6, 1925 — page 36: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a full-page advertisement for Crane plumbing fixtures from Life magazine. The image shows a modernist bathroom design featuring twin dressing rooms with an enclosed bath and shower between them. The advertisement emphasizes luxury bathroom design made accessible through Crane's products: the "Tarnia" cream-enamel bath, ivory tiles with gold-veined black marble borders, and opaque glass doors. The pitch targets middle-class homeowners: Crane offers fixtures "at prices within reach of all," positioning quality plumbing as democratic luxury. The tagline "Beauty in the Open; Quality in All Hidden Fittings" suggests both aesthetic appeal and reliable unseen infrastructure. This reflects 1920s-era consumer culture, where indoor plumbing was still becoming standard in American homes, and modernist design aesthetics were marketed as attainable for modest budgets.
📄 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; Given adequate space, your architect will take delight in designing bathrooms which unite luxurious comfortand beau- ty. The more readily since he can now secure distinctive materials and fixtures suited to any scheme that he may create. Twin dressing rooms, with an inclosed bath and shower between, are presented here. The Tarnia bath of cream-white enameloniron may beentered fromeither CRANE QUALITY IN ALL HIDDEN FITTINGS room. Doors of opaque glass form a lighted, ventilated, splash-proof inclosure. ‘The walls are of ivory tiles with borders in the same gold-veined black marble as the Newmar lavatory and dressing table. Crane plumbing and heating fixtures are sold by responsible contractors every- where ina variety of styles at prices within reach of all. Write for color booklet, “The New Art of Fine Bathrooms.” CRANE Address all inquiries to Crane Coy Chicago GENERAL OFFICES: CRANE BUILDING, 836 S. MICHIGAN AVENUE, CHICAGO Branches and Sales Offic 1 in One Hundred and Forty-eight Cities Rooms: Chicage, New York, Atlantic City, San Francisco and Montreal 1: Chicage, Bridgeport, Birmingham, Chattancega, Trenton and Montreal CRANE EXPORT CORPORATION: NEW YORK, SAN FRANCISCO. HANGHAL CRANE LIMITED: CRANE BUILDING, 383 BEAVER HALL SQUARE, MONTREAL CRANE-BENNETT, Lr: Ci® CRANE: PARIS, NAD Fixtures priced for modest homes: others for luxurious houses, apartments and howls comicbooks.com