Life, 1927-12-08 · page 2 of 40
Life — December 8, 1927 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **primarily an advertisement**, not political satire or a cartoon. It's a Sheaffer's pen advertisement from an era when Life magazine (founded 1883) mixed editorial content with advertising. The ad promotes "Jade" colored Sheaffer fountain pens as ideal Christmas gifts. It emphasizes the pens' reliability, durability ("guaranteed for a lifetime"), and status as "an aristocratic pocket decoration." The ornate border and elegant typography reflect early-20th-century advertising design aesthetics. The "little white dot" mentioned refers to a Sheaffer trademark identifying authentic Lifetime pens. The ad lists multiple price points and pen styles, with distribution information for various cities including Fort Madison, Iowa (Sheaffer's headquarters). This is commercial promotion, not satirical commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
(a ¥ SG The ideal aie 1s a aiade, pen with the little white dot The world has acquired the fountain-pen habit. Every year millions more people are using, them, in lar?,e measure due to the dependability and beauty of the Lifetime? pen. Always it is an infallible writing, instrument, made of brilliant, staunch radite, capable of making three clear carbon copies. An aristocratic pocket decoration! And it is unconditionally guaranteed for a lifetime. A Sheaffer writing, instrument ought to solve many of your Christmas sift perplexities. At better dealers everywhere SHEARTERS PENS* PENCILS: SKR IOWA, U.S. A, comicbooks.com