Life, 1928-06-21 · page 27 of 38
Life — June 21, 1928 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but rather a full-page advertisement for the Davey Tree Expert Company, appearing in *Life* magazine circa 1923-1927. The ad promotes tree surgery services—a relatively new professional field pioneered by founder John Davey (1846-1923, pictured). The image shows a snowy forest scene, likely from a painting commissioned on the estate of prominent Cincinnati resident Nicholas Longworth. The advertisement's key pitch: tree surgery is "surprisingly low in cost," with 73% of clients paying under $100. It emphasizes the company's rapid growth (business tripled since 1923), nationwide reach (900 trained surgeons across the eastern U.S. and Canada), and client satisfaction (half return annually). The long list of prominent clients—including Vice President Charles Dawes, industrialists, and institutions—serves as social proof of respectability and legitimacy for this emerging service industry. This reflects early-20th-century American commercialism: professional expertise marketed through prestigious endorsements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
iin 3 : 2 4 " " “J Se a, *) Be BWR SBP — «SaRR BER Reproduction from @ painting made on the estate of the Hon. Nicholas Longworth, Cincinnati, Ohio, by Frank Swift Chase Among prominent persons and in- served by the Davey Tree scons are the following: S. CHAS. G. DAWES FISKE CITY OF DAYTON ROGER BABSON ACADEMY OF HOLY NAMES \CH LICK HOTEL IPPI POWER & LIGHT COMPANY CONNECTICUT STATE CAPITOL ROCKEFELLER INSTITUTE ATWATER KENT. MANUFACTURING CO, JOHN DAVEY 1846-1923 Father of Tree Surgery Rerg. U.S. Pat. Office © Tee D, T. EB. Go., toe., 1923, Surprisingly low in cost - 73% of Davey clients paid less than $100 each In 1927 Davey Tree Surgeons served 17,417 clients, from Boston to Kansas City and from Canada tothe Gulf. The volume of businesslast year was$2,400,000. And yet for this expert, reliable'tree service— 9726 clients paid less than 850.00 each 2944 paid from $50.00 to $100.00 each 2372 paid from $100.00 to $200.00 each 1687 paid from 8200.00 to 8500.00 each And only 688 paid over $500.00 each Davey Tree Surgeons are easily available. They live and work in your vicinity. There are nearly 900 of them now—all carefully selected, thoroughly trained, properly disciplined and supervised, and held to a high standard of service—scattered over the eastern half of this country and Canada. The business of The Davey Tree Expert Company has trebled since 1923, as follows: Volume in 1923. Volume in 1924. Volume in 1925. Volume in 1926. Volume in 1927. This steady and substantial growth does not proveeverything, but it does indicatea high measure of value and satisfaction. How else could this per- sonal service business be maintained and made to w? More than half the business each year comes rom former clients. Every hour of every day 900 Davey Tree Sur- geons are working on probation. Every client re- serves the right to stop the work at his discretion. They must give satisfaction or they would have no employment. They will please you also. Wire or write nearest office. . .$ 800,000 . $1,200,000 THE DAVEY TREE EXPERT CO,, Inc., 928 City Bank Bldg., Kent, Ohio Branch we y: New York 601 ; Frartiord. Conn 38 Peat St: Mampords Conn’ Oustey Bags PL Bank Bidg.; Rochester, "4s Exchange: Buffalo, 1 Betinere er sd, Hipadions fae Feed Bidg.: enns Geea Big! fem pit, Exchange Bide: Siar Bag” Mie Fst Be Cotare, diac viens hae tiene: Boy Sate Bie i Toronto, 71 Ring St, Wi Bank Bide.: Ad ‘Motors Bide. ‘Kansas Cu, Send for local representative to examine your trees without cost or obligation DAVEY TREE_SURGEONS comicbooks.com