Life — September 6, 1928 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Sheaffer's Lifetime Pen Advertisement This is a **vintage advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Sheaffer's "Lifetime" fountain pens, highlighting their carbon-copy capability—the pens could supposedly make three identical duplicates simultaneously while writing. The ad emphasizes the pen's reliability ("responds to the LIGHTEST TOUCH"), durability ("Guaranteed unconditionally for a lifetime"), and aesthetic appeal ("brilliant gold"). It targets affluent customers, particularly women, suggesting the pen is ideal for personal correspondence and confidential matters. The ornate decorative border and leaf imagery convey luxury and sophistication typical of 1920s-30s advertising design. Prices listed ($3.75-$10) indicate this was a premium product. The ad ran in *Life* magazine, which carried both satirical content and upscale advertising.