Life, 1926-12-09 · page 43 of 45
Life — December 9, 1926 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a political cartoon or satire—it's a **straightforward product advertisement** for Parker Duofold pens and pencils, likely from the 1920s-30s based on style. The page promotes luxury writing instruments as Christmas gifts, emphasizing durability ("25-Year Pen Point," "Non-Breakable"), quality ("8 of 10 blindfolded testers chose Parker"), and prestige. The reference to an "aeroplane pilot" dropping a pen 3,000 feet without breaking it demonstrates extreme durability—a notable technological claim for the era when aviation was still novel. The "keepsake" framing suggests these are heirloom-quality gifts, positioning Parker Duofold as the premium choice over competitors. The distinctive red-and-black color and craftsmanship appeal to affluent buyers seeking to give "the finest" gift, avoiding generic Christmas shopping stress. This reflects early 20th-century marketing that linked consumer goods to status and permanence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Parker Duofold ette the Set that will live to bea keepsake! Non-Breakable Barrels —25-Year Pen Point —Over-size Ink Capacity And this prized imprint “Geo. S. Parker—Duofold” will show that you went the limit to give the finest Just whisper, “Send them Parker Duofold” to wise old Santa Claus,and you'll do more to make your loved ones happy than a week of worry on a yard-long list of Christmas ideas, Parker's Black-tipped Lacquer-red is far the most |/, sought-after color in both Pens and Pencils. For our * records show it outsells any other, and we make all kinds, Moreover, when Geo. S. Parker created the Duofold point he overcame rigidity by tempering the extra thick gold prongs to yield to any hand, yet ever retain their original shape. Ten men—all wearing blindfolds—tried 11 new pens of various makes, And 8 of the 10 picked Parker Duofold, sight unseen, as the most agreeable writer. A point guaranteed for 25 years—not only for mechan- ical perfection, but for wear! Today we are making Parker Duofold’s barrel of light Non-Breakable “Permanite,” instead of rubber. Recently an aeroplane pilot dropped the Parker Duofold 3000 feet and could not break it. No amount of money can buy a finer pen and pencil. So make no mistake in the name when you do your Christmas shopping—specify “Parker Duofold.” ‘The Panker Pen COMPANY, JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN OFMICES AND SUBSIDIARIES: NEWYORK * CHICAGO * ATLANTA * DALLAS SAN FRANCISCO + TORONTO, CANADA * LONDON, ENGLAND Parker Duofold Pens and Pencils 1 j 1 j 1 j i ] ] | ] | } { ] i j 1 j j j : } 1 ‘ 1 : 1 1 j } ) J ) 1 \ : 8 d comicbooks.com