Life, 1928-07-19 · page 2 of 40
Life — July 19, 1928 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Sheaffer pen advertisement**, not political satire. The ornate decorative border frames multiple fountain pens displayed against a classical female figure (likely representing Liberty or artistic refinement). The ad promotes the "Lifetime" pen as "an American classic," emphasizing its mechanical superiority, durability, and suitability for the Palmer handwriting system—a popular penmanship method of the era. The text highlights non-corrosive alloys, gold accents, and lifetime repair guarantees. The classical imagery and elaborate border design reflect 1920s-30s advertising aesthetics, positioning the fountain pen as a prestigious writing instrument. There is no political cartoon or satire present—this is straightforward product marketing using period-appropriate decorative and aspirational imagery to convey quality and permanence.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Wht 1 OT T The Lifetime’ pen has become an American classic A magnificent leadership in the pen field has come to the Lifetime because of its downright merit. It was the first pen of colorful beauty, first in supreme mechanical nicety, first in high dependability. Its iridium nib easily makes three clear carbon copies of your personal letters and memoranda. Instant response to lightest touch makes it the ideal pen for the Palmer handwriting system. And its non- corrosive alloys, costly gold and brilliant radite, build it to endure for a lifetime, guaranteed free of SRE Lie all repair charges. Ask any Sheaffer dealer to show pa Saat you how mechanically nice the Lifetime pen is made. “Lifetime” pen in green or black, $8.75, Ladies’, $7.50—pencil, $4.25. Others lower De Luxe “Lifetime” pen. $10, pencil, $5 At better stores everywhere SHEAFFER'S PENS: PENCILS: SKR Wy. A SHEAFFER PEN COMPANY - FORT MADISON, IOWA. U.S.A. New York . ChicaBo ° San Francisco W. A. Sheaffer Pen Co. of Canada, Ltd. - Toronto, von. — 60-62 Front St., We ‘Wellington, N. Z. + Sydney, Australia - London—199 Regent St. © Reg. U.S. Pat, Off, comicbooks.com