Life, 1926-01-28 · page 2 of 36
Life — January 28, 1926 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **Parker Pen advertisement**, not satirical content. The page promotes the Parker Duofold fountain pen, priced at $7, featuring a 25-year guaranteed point and oversized ink capacity. The illustration shows two figures—a man in a hat and suit alongside a woman—apparently discussing business or writing matters. The ad's messaging plays on 1920s-era aspirational capitalism: suggesting that owning this superior pen will enhance a businessman's professional success and earning potential ("Bigger Pay Check"). The satire is subtle and self-aware—the ad somewhat humorously acknowledges that a pen alone won't guarantee success, yet argues that quality tools matter for serious professionals. This reflects period advertising's blend of practical claims with lifestyle aspiration.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
RIVALS Yr: BEAUTY OF THE SCARLET TANAGER for Writing And Gives Him the Speed and Character in Penmanship that Lead to a Bigger Pay Check The Pen with the 25-Year Guaranteed Point and Over-size Ink Capacity ITH millions of Parker Duofolds putting the world’s daily work ona higher standard than ever, a man is most certainly handicapped now if he doesn't carry this super-pen. Howsoever slight that handicap may seem, please don’t for- get that even a feather on the side of excellence can tip the scale in many a transaction on the side of success. And this pen often does. We don’t mean that the Parker Duofold will put any man on the golden throne, although it helps him to get there. But the same keen instinct that makes men successful, prompts them to pay $7 for this sure-fire classic when they could buy slacker pens for half the money. A smooth-gliding, swift-writing 25-year guaranteed point in a balanced, free-swinging shaft with over-size ink capacity —acombination that whets a man’s appetite for writing and turns out the kind of work that commands recognition. A point no style of writing can distort—hence a pen you can lend without a tremor. And a black-tipped lacquer-red barrel that’s a beauty to own and a hard one to mislay. Good pen counters would not be without it. Parke a) = With The [/25 Year Point Duofold Jr. 6s Lady Duofold 6s Oversize Intermediate size With ring for chatelaine Duofold Pencil $4 THE PARKER PEN COMPANY -;- JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN NEW YORK + CHICAGO + SAN FRANCISCO + Duofold Pencils to match the Pens: Lady Duofold. $3; Over-size Jr., $3.50; “Big Brother” Over-size, $4 + TORONTO + LONDON comicbooks,'