Life, 1925-10-22 · page 2 of 74
Life — October 22, 1925 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily a Parker Duofold pen advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. The headline creates a marketing narrative: a Parker pen has been in continuous use for 31 years, passed through hundreds of hands, and still functions reliably. The centerpiece is a handwritten letter dated May 1925, purportedly written with the same 1894 Parker pen, demonstrating durability. The advertisement compares 1894 and 1925 pen models visually. The text emphasizes the pen's value proposition—reliability and longevity justify its cost. There is **no political satire** here. This is straightforward early 20th-century product advertising using an impressive durability claim as its sales hook. The "Life" magazine context simply means this appeared in a popular publication where such ads were common.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Here Comes This Letter After 31 Years Written With a Parker Pen In Use All That Time —and used by hundreds of hands HIS LETTER Written with a Parker Pen After 31 Years’ Use Mays Lick, Ky., July 25, 1925, Parker Pen Co., Janesville, Wis. Dear Sirs: I thought it might be of interest to you to know that the pen with which I am now writing is one of your fountain pens which I pur chased during July of 1894 from Jas. H. Grigsby of Sar- dis, Ky., and has been in continuous service since that date with the excep- tion ofa few davsthat Thad to send it to you for repairs, having broken the threaded end that screws into the fountain by leaning across afence, The pen still has the original point and is giving good service notwithstand- ing the fact that there has been hundreds of different persons written with it dure ing its 31 years of service. T heartily and conscien- tiously recommend the Par- ker to all who need a pen of the highest quality. Wishing you continued success, Lam Very truly yours, (Signed) H. M. CRACROFT You Can’t Put a Price on Pens that Give Such Value UTOMOBILES and Parker Duolold Pens had not yet been given to the world when one July day in 1894, H. M. Cracroft passed four dollars over the counter for a Parker Pen. “Hard Times” had a strangle-hold on the nation, corn was selling down to thirty cents a bushel, and four dollars was about as flossy a price as a man paid for a week's board at the old Commercial House. Yet chat same Parker Pen, which Mr. Cra- croft bought, still writes his letters; and, he says, “still has its original point and is giving good service.” There are a host of these Parker patri- archs still on the job yet after 20 and 30 years, and longer. They are the staunch forefathers of a hardy race of pens—they speak with a quiet elo- THE PARKER PEN COMPAN quence of Geo. S. Parker's skill and sincerity in making his products the worthy Custodians of his business honor. And isn’t it safe tosup- pose that if Geo. S. Parker's pens of the 80's and 90's are still “giving good service,” that his super-pen, the Parker Duofold, will out- last whoever buys it? Parker Duofold, you see, embodies im- provements unknown when Mr. Cracroft’s pen was made. The 25-year Point—the Hand- size Grip —the Over-size Ink capacity — the Invisible Filler—the free-swinging Balance— and the black-tipped lacquer-red barrel, hand- ‘some toown and hard to mislay. Good pen counters wouldn't be without it. Get Pazker Duofold today—for you gain nothing by waiting, but you lose the use of the pen that gives one’s hand the speed and the character that win with the world. Y - JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN ‘Duofola Pencils to match the Pens: Lady Duofold. $3; Over-size Jr., $3.50; “* Big Brother" Oversize, $4 NEW YORK * CHICAGO + THE PARKER FOUNTAIN Pi €O., LIMITED, TORONTO, CANADA * SAN FRANCISCO, ‘THE PARKER PEN COMPANY, LIMITED, BUSH HOUSZ, STRAND, LONDON, W. Ce ; [) 2§ Year Point 7) Duofold Jr. $s Rivals the beauty of the Scarlet Tanager = WER Siz, Lady Duofold 65 Intermediate size With ring for chatelaine comicbooks.com