Life, 1927-08-11 · page 4 of 36
Life — August 11, 1927 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not editorial content or satire. The A.B. Dick Company's advertisement for the Mimeograph machine uses the clever headline "THE KING'S SWANS" as a marketing hook. The joke plays on the British legal principle that all unmarked swans in English waters belong to the crown. Similarly, the ad claims that "every Mimeograph in the world has been, in its young life, the property of the A.B. Dick Company"—meaning they manufactured all machines before distribution. The image shows the Mimeograph device itself. The advertisement emphasizes the machine's ability to produce unlimited quantities of printed materials and lists A.B. Dick's American factory locations to promote accessibility and service. This is straightforward period advertising using a witty analogy rather than political satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
THE KING’S SWANS All of the swans in England are the property of the king. Every Mimeograph in the world has been, in its young life, the property of the A. B. Dick Company—exclusive makers of the Mimeograph and its supplies. And that these unnum- bered thousands of speedy duplicators may turn out their daily grist of well printed letters, forms, bulletins, blanks, designs, maps, etc., dependably and in practically unlimited quantities, this company now maintains direct fac- tory branches in the following American cities: New York, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Detroit, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City, bringing Mimeographs, Mimeograph supplies, and Mimeograph service always “near at hand.” A request to A.B. Dick Company, Chicago, will bring booklet and full particulars. tip comicbooks.com