Life, 1926-05-06 · page 7 of 52
Life — May 6, 1926 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is an **advertisement, not a cartoon or satire**. The page features a portrait of Benvenuto Cellini, the Renaissance Florentine goldsmith and silversmith (1500-1571), identified in the caption as patronized by Francis I of France. The ad promotes Reed & Barton silverware, a Massachusetts company established over 100 years prior to this publication. The text draws a parallel between Cellini's reputation for fine metalwork and Reed & Barton's silverware quality, suggesting their products are worthy successors to that craft tradition. The image of a decorative tea spoon (labeled "Francis First Tea Spoon") serves as the product display. This is purely aspirational marketing—connecting a commercial silverware brand to historical prestige and artisanal excellence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
= e ~ = = VENUTO CELLINI FLORENTINE GOLD AND SILVERSMITH PATRONIZED BY FRANCIS I- CELLIN I~ MASTER WORKER IN PRECIOUS METALS AND A SILVERWARE PATTERN WORTHY OF HIS CRAFT IKE a colorful page from the memoirs of a revel- ous court is the Francis First pattern in Reed & Barton solid silver. There is a sug- gestion here of the splendor that characterized the reign fine silverware that made him a patron of the great Cellini. Imagine the grace, the charm, the individuality that this glorious pattern might bring toyourtable. Ask your jewel- er to show you this unusual of Francis I—of the love of Reed & Barton pattern today. Francis First Tea Spoon (actual size) ESTABLISHED OVER 100 YEARS SOLID SILVERWARE — PLATED SILVERWARE comicbooks.com ~*