Life — January 4, 1929 — page 4: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. It's a full-page ad for Abercrombie & Fitch Co., a sporting goods retailer located on Madison Avenue and 45th Street in New York City. The ad promotes Sesamee brand keyless locks for luggage. The imagery—a traveling sportsman with multiple bags and a dog—illustrates the target customer: wealthy travelers who need reliable security for their belongings during journeys. The "joke" is conversational: "Ask the traveling sportsman" about luggage problems, implying experienced travelers endorse this product. The Sesamee lock's innovation—allowing users to set and change combination numbers without keys—is presented as solving the inconvenience of traditional keyed locks. This reflects early 20th-century concerns about travel security and represents a genuine product innovation marketed to affluent consumers.