Life, 1928-12-07 · page 42 of 64
Life — December 7, 1928 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not political satire. The dominant content is a Melachrino cigarette advertisement featuring Mrs. George Drexel, a prominent Philadelphia/New York socialite endorsing the product's "refinement and mildness." The satirical elements are minor and gentle: 1. **"Rhymed Reviews"**: Arthur Guiterman's poem about Leonardo da Vinci humorously critiques both the subject and the book being reviewed. It mocks Leonardo as a genius who left projects unfinished and suggests the book's "purple phrase" is overwrought—poking fun at overwrought literary criticism rather than Leonardo himself. 2. **"Through the Ages"**: A lightweight joke comparing Christmas gifts across decades (1900 vs. 1928)—both involve giving cigarettes, suggesting cultural stagnation in gift-giving. The page reflects 1920s advertising culture where celebrities endorsed products, and tobacco was marketed without health warnings. The humor is literary and mild rather than political.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
56 Mes.GeorceE DREXEL Prominent younger hostess of NewYork and Philadelphia, says “A hostess cannot be too exacting in the choice of cigarettes to be served to her guests — whether for the informal tea or bridge party or the formal function. 1 determined after many tests that the most pleasing cigarettes are Melachrino. The refinement and mildness of their Turkish tobaccos are unsurpassed.” MELACHRINO CIGARETTES ARE A BLEND OF THE CHOICEST TYPES OF TURKISH TOBACCO—THE MOST PRIZED OF ALL CIGARETTE TOBACCOS A WELCOME CHRISTMAS suggestion: — avail yourself of the special Melachrino introductory offer for Christmas gifts. This offer consists of 60 Melachrino Cigarettes— 20 straw tips, 20 plain ends and 20 cork tips— also a score pad with the latest rules of con- tract bridge and two beautiful packs of cards on which we will imprint your own or any friend's monogram. This offer would ordi- narily cost $4.75, but use the coupon and pay only $2.50. 1 you want more than one of this offer for | gifts, simply attach a paper to the coupon and print the different iniuals you wish mono- gramed. The cards given with the offer are | the famous Congress cards. They have no adver- tising of any kind on them. \n making out the vhi coupon print the initials clearly which you | want for the monograms. Send the coupon now. Nete—Under a special arrangement, monograms will be imprinted quicker than usual. This will enable us to mail your own set or gifts of Melachrino cigarettes, pad and cards in plenty of ume. TH UNION TOBACCO COMPANY. MEYACHANO CIGARETTES The One Cigarette Smoked the World Over The Union Tobacco Company, 311 Fifth Avenue, New York City Gentlemen: Please send... sets of 60 Melachrino cigarettes, the score pad with the latest rules of contract bridge and the two packs of the famous Congress cards bearing the monogram designated, for which I ni - + $2.30 per see. Ma RHYMED REVIEWS Leonardo the Florentine By Rachel Annand Taylor. Harper & Bros. Tire Renatssance, Italian brand, Was brilliant, gay and simp gorgeous; What miracles of brain and hand It deigned to sculpture, paint and forge us! And what a debt of laurels green Does every connoisseur and bard owe To that two-fisted Florentine, The Universal Leonardo! | Inventor, artist, engineer, A colorist whose flavor lingers, With silver lute he charmed the ear, And bended horseshoes with his fingers. His brazen cannon, carved and quaint, He ranged before the walls of Pisa, Then hurried home again to paint The well-known smirk of Mona Lisa. A genius whom you couldn't trust To work with ardor undiminished, He framed and left to gather dust A raft of things he never finished. His tale, with that of golden days Of varied pattern richly stencilled, Is told with wealths of purple phrase, Two-thirds of which should be blue- pencilled. A mighty man upon the whole I think him, mauger disquisitions On Leonardo's two-ply soul, Perversions, quirks and inhibitions. But while his work is rightly prized, He seems to this Philistine railler To have the critics hypnotized, Including Rachel Annand Taylor. Arthur Guiterman. THROUGH THE AGES Christmas Joke—1900 | wife for Christmas? Jones: I gave her a carton ot my favorite brand of cigarettes. ee Christmas Joke—1928 Mrs. Smitu: Well, what did you give ‘your husband for Christmas? | Mrs. Jones: I gave him a carton of my favorite brand of cigarettes. REACTION “I po:’r seem to make any sense out of this poem.” “You're not supposed to. It's meant | merely to give you a feeling of emotidn. Srrn: Well, what did you give your | Doesp’t it do that?” “Yes. It makes me sick!” tion tothe Tropics... The Franconia West Indies Cruise... A giant Cunarder takes the Caribbean as a sort of cocktail . . . Before she sails on her magnifi- cent World Cruise, the Franconia intends to see the Old Year die in moon-kissed carnival in Havana... She will visit Port-au-Prince .. . Kingston... Colon... Nassau... Every day on board will be a sun- drenched interlude be- tween one fascinating port and the next... Her sports space is the best afloat . . . her state- rooms a miracle of com- fort... and her Cruise service the pride of the Cunard fleet. Two 16 day cruises... $200 up Visiting Port-au-Prince, Kingston, Colon, Hav: asso. From New ++ Dee. 20,1928, S$. 8. SCYTHIA— From New York... Jan. 17,1929 ‘Two 31 day cruises... $300 up $. S. CALIFORNIA— From New York... Jan. 19 and Feb. 23, 1929 Every Saturday to Havana by the Transatlantic Liner Caronia ... Every lesury of a great Cunarder... From a «+» Jan. 5 to March 16, For further information apply to your local agent CUNARD-ANCHOR WEST INDIES CRUISES comicbooks.com