Life, 1925-11-26 · page 43 of 44
Life — November 26, 1925 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **hosiery advertisement** for Ipswich De Luxe Hosiery, not political satire. The witch imagery is purely commercial wordplay. The illustration depicts a witch in pointed hat with an owl and broomstick, framed within a stocks (pillory) device—a visual pun linking "witchcraft" to "stockings." The ad copy plays on this: "There's modern witchcraft in the flawless knitting" and "witchery in the sheer silken web." For modern readers: the "witch" represents the magical quality of well-made hosiery—how superior craftsmanship seems almost miraculous. The stocks frame reinforces the stocking/stocks wordplay. This was typical 1920s-era advertising humor, using whimsical imagery to suggest that buying Ipswich hosiery was a smart, almost magical bargain for women seeking quality stockings at reasonable prices. The ad emphasizes affordability and offers a dollar-sample program.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Men's Hosiery In All Styles Ipswich socks are made in silk, wool, rayon and cotton for all kinds of wear—formal, sport and everyday. They're moder- There’s modern witchcraft in the flawless knitting of Ipswich stock- ings. There's witchery in the sheer silken web of them, and in their exquisitely shaded colors. Shopping for Ipswich hosiery rewards the feminine instinct for buying wisely and well in order to have an abundant supply of pretty stockings that cost less than one expects them to. If you don’t find Ipswich stock- ings where you usually buy hosiery we shall be glad to send you a pair, as a sample of their value, for a dollar. Wool Hosiery A Special Sale Continuing the nation- wide sale “To Make New Friends”, Ipswich dealers everywhere are offering our finest zephyr-weight woolen stockings for IPSWICH MILLS + IPSWICH, MASS, LAWRENCE & CO., Sole Selling Agents comicbooks.com