Life, 1927-03-03 · page 27 of 35
Life — March 3, 1927 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a **radio advertisement** from Life magazine's advertising section (page 25). The page promotes the **Grebe Synchrophase Radio**, a consumer product from the early radio era. The ad emphasizes technical features: "Colortone" technology eliminates distortion, and "Flexible Unit Control" provides "One Dial Control" for simplified tuning — a significant selling point when radios typically required multiple adjustment dials. The small illustrated figures (appearing to be anthropomorphized radio components) are purely decorative, meant to make technical specifications whimsical and appealing to readers. **Historical context**: This represents the 1920s consumer radio boom, when improved reception and easier operation were major competitive advantages. A.H. Grebe & Co. claims to be "the oldest exclusive radio manufacturer," emphasizing their established credibility in this rapidly evolving market.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ronsniber- Ze eliminates the harsh, unnatural sounds which spoil reception. clear nalural and One Dial ARs makes the Synchro- ¢ [re Colortone keeps the un- She : usually superior reception of the Synchrophase free from loud speaker distortion. Tuning is simplicity itself — —/ 'ynchrophase move one dial and get the station you want. Send for Booklet L. Then ask a Grebe dealer to demonstrate. A. H. Grebe & Co., Inc. 109 West 57th St., New York City Factory: Richmond Hill, N. Y. Western Branch: 443 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, Calif, The oldest exclusive radio manufacturer comicbooks.com