Life, 1927-06-23 · page 4 of 38
Life — June 23, 1927 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a **full-page advertisement for Gorham silverware**, America's leading silversmiths. The ad celebrates traditional craftsmanship through an ornate silver centerpiece shown at top. A photograph features Frederick E. Cappele, a Gorham Master Craftsman with 25+ years experience, demonstrating hand-wrought silverware production. The text emphasizes that Gorham maintains "old guild spirit" standards, with craftsmen trained over "quarter and half centuries." The ad positions Gorham silver as museum-quality work produced by dedicated artisans, contrasting handmade excellence against mass manufacturing. Located in Providence, Rhode Island and New York, Gorham marketed itself as "America's Leading Silversmiths for Over 90 Years," appealing to wealthy customers valuing tradition and artisanal quality.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
C RAFTS MAN S HT p An Italian Renatssance Center-piece by the Gorham Master Craftsmen ba} standards of crafts- manship and tradition as are Gorham’s. Here, indeed, is a survival of the old guild spirit. Master Craftsmen working with the same skill and in the same deft manner as those early silversmiths whose produc- tions you admire in museums. A creation like the center- Frederick E. Coppage, one of the chasers of the special creation shown above. For 30 years a Gorham Master Craftsman, Mr. Coppage still devotes his skill to the creation of Gorham Sterling GORHAM PROVIDENCE, R. I. NEW YORK, N. ¥. Member of the Sterling Silversmiths’ Guild of America Specially wrought and decorated by hand for a prominent customer, piece above could be produced only under such artistic con- ditions: and by such Craftsmen, By men whose entire lives have been devoted to their art, whose terms of Gorham Master Craftsmanship are measured by quarter and half centuries. It is ‘they who create the beautiful Gorham sterling sil- verware which is displayed by your jeweler. AMERICA’S LEADING SILVERSMITHS FOR OVER 90 YEARS LIFE: Publisbed Weekly by Life Pub. Co., 598 Madison A‘ OfSce, under act of March 3, 1879. Printed in U.S. A. Ent’ comicbooks.com