Life, 1926-09-23 · page 40 of 40
Life — September 23, 1926 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Atwater Kent radio advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes their "ONE Dial" radio receiver model, emphasizing its revolutionary simplicity compared to competitors. **The "Satire"** is commercial rather than political: the ad mocks other radio manufacturers' overly-complicated multi-dial systems, where users had to "fiddle" with subsidiary tuning devices. Atwater Kent's innovation—a single dial to tune all stations—is presented as superior. **Visual elements** show various radio cabinet models with different finishes (wood, crystalline, gold trim). The text sarcastically asks "Do you know of any other radio set that will do this?"—a rhetorical challenge to competitors. **Context for modern readers**: This reflects the 1920s radio boom when receiver design was rapidly evolving. "Single dial" control was genuinely innovative marketing. The ad emphasizes ease-of-use and aesthetic cabinet design as selling points to the general public discovering radio technology. This is **product advertising masquerading as editorial commentary**, not political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
WA RAL XY P\IIO Medel 35, six-tube receiver, with ONE Dial. Wha A Ne : The shuclded cabinet is crystalline-firished in twe shades could be simpler? Price, leu tubes and batteries, bu } of brown, and trimmed with gold, The golden name with battery cable attacked, $70 plate (left) shows a spanish galieon in low relief D v4 = of out of this thrill, turn back to the Jou KNOW gO . ; : program you like best. You don’t any other radto set ; ayetosearch.. Vou petit instant” ; sf t 4 water Kent ONE Dial. that will do this? soe You summon all the stations on 7 3 q the air within ra with one pial There's something new and excit- piece ae bentrtey —with one hand—and the station ing in Radio, It is Atwater Kent’ . F Psat. SES you want in a split second. ONE Dial control Let an Atwater Kent Dealer When we say you do all the tun- show you what rea/ ONE pial with ONE Dial, that is y KEY, operation means—in swiftness and what we mean. ee ease of operation, in tone, in vol- Some so-called single dial recei Mevotebui. 2” rectabe 8 i ume, seleceeity nge—in all that ing sets are equipped with subsid- tee eelicieh faite radio should be. iary tuning devices with which you tefles, bat with ‘ pats Kicag aay BHNE Ue ate Re Ra have to fiddle to hear a broadcast masses ‘ Bs Tiour beings you the tary of pera and coor program clearly. Atwater Kent sets : ; Time, ‘8:13 Central Time, through: need none and have none. In them : Now York you get genuine ONE Dial control. 3 zy See és Boston Just turn the single dial until you ies : hear the first station come in, Then : : ° . - Clordend turn it a tiny bit farther and hear Write for itustrated booktet of Atwater Kent Rotie another. Keep turning and a veri- : y le Canade ATWATER KENT MFG. COMPANY ple procession of stations files past : ‘ 2°55 ae A. Atwater Kent, President you. When you have got the most = : ‘i 4745 Wissahickon Ave, Philadelphia, Pa. comicbooks.com