Life — September 17, 1925 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Sheaffer's Pen Advertisement This is a **commercial advertisement**, not a political cartoon. It promotes Sheaffer fountain pens and pencils, specifically the "Lifetime" pen model and new "Titan" pencil. The ad claims that American businessmen initially doubted fountain pens could work reliably, but Sheaffer products changed their minds through superior performance. The ornate decorative border frames an illustration of a well-dressed man at a desk, suggesting professional achievement and respectability. The language emphasizes durability ("stoutly guaranteed") and quality materials ("jewel-like Radite"), positioning these writing instruments as status symbols befitting successful men. Prices are listed: $2.75 for pens, $1.25 for pencils. This reflects early-20th-century marketing strategies targeting middle and upper-class male professionals.