Life, 1926-09-16 · page 2 of 40
Life — September 16, 1926 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It's a vintage Sheaffer pen ad from the W.A. Sheaffer Pen Company (Fort Madison, Iowa). The ad uses a classical Greek vase as its central image—a deliberate comparison suggesting the Lifetime pen is as timeless and durable as ancient artifacts. Pens are arranged like flowers in the vase, emphasizing the product's aesthetic appeal. The headline "How long will a Lifetime pen last?" poses an unanswerable question, then answers it by claiming a lifetime guarantee. The ad emphasizes the pen's "iridium point" and "Radite" material as practically indestructible. Pricing and availability information appears at bottom. This represents typical early-to-mid 20th-century advertising rhetoric—comparing consumer goods to classical civilization to suggest permanence and quality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Lifetime pen last? There is no one in the world ancient enough to an- swer that question. Like an old Greek vase, the Life- time* pen may outlive the ages. Always it carries the white dot. Always it is guaranteed for a life- time. And that means just that. For so long as you may carry this ever-dependable writer, the makers will keep it in condition without charge. We can do that because it is made to last, made of beautiful Radite, a practically indestructible material. And its full iridium point defies wear. This remarkable guarantee establishes a new day in merchandising. “Lifetime" pen in green or black, $8.75, Ladies’, $7.50—pencil, $4.25 Blue Label Leads—fifteen cents At better stores everywhere SHEAFFER'S PENS*> PENCILS: SKR W.A SHEAFFER PEN COMPANY FORT MADISON, IOWA comicbooks.com