Life, 1927-09-15 · page 39 of 40
Life — September 15, 1927 — page 39: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **product advertisement** for Waterman's fountain pens, a major American pen manufacturer. The page promotes the "Number Seven" model ($7.00) and its key selling point: colored bands on pen holders that indicate different nib types (fine, broad, stub, flexible, stiff). This color-coding system solved a genuine consumer problem—customers couldn't easily identify which pen point they needed before purchase. The ad emphasizes quality and longevity ("Guaranteed since 1883 and until 1983—one hundred years of pen service"), appeals to merchants to demonstrate the product, and encourages customers to try all six point options. The multiple pen images showcase the visual distinction the colored bands provide. This reflects the era when fountain pens were premium everyday writing instruments requiring careful selection, and when manufacturers competed on both functionality and guaranteed durability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
LEN ARGIERSA Ne | ME OR EOS) ow. have solved the problem of pen point selec- tion. The color of the band on the holder tells the whole story. Youcan now select with confidence exactly the pen point best writing requires. A fine, broad, stub, flexible or stiff point may be selected at a glance. You can’t go wrong. ] The merchant who sells j Waterman's will be glad to Ml demonstrate. He and we want you to be perfectly pleased. Ask to See Waterman’s Number Seven Try all six pen points. Select the one that suits you best. When you buy a Waterman's you buy perpetual pen service., | It will pay you to spend a | few minutes in selecting ex- actly the pen you should have. Guaranteed since 1883 and until 1983 —one hundred years of pen service a LE. Waterman Company 191 Broadway, New York Chicsso Bowen ‘Sea Francince Montreal & Watermans p comicbooks.com