Life, 1929-01-18 · page 41 of 44
Life — January 18, 1929 — page 41: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page satirizes how American advertisers exploit historical narratives and cultural touchstones for commercial purposes. **Main Cartoon:** "The Historian Develops an Advertising Complex" mocks the overcommercialization of George Washington's Delaware Crossing—treating this iconic Revolutionary War moment as if it were a consumer product ("crunchy ice-cakes," "salty, crunchy, crisp tale"). The satire suggests advertisers have colonized even sacred history, packaging patriotic narratives with product pitches for peanuts and other goods. **Humor Throughout:** The page contains multiple jokes exploiting wordplay and double meanings—a "chocolate Maltese" cat, a "Gillette" as a beheading instrument, and milk "separated from the cream." These demonstrate period humor style. **Context:** This reflects 1920s-30s anxieties about advertising's growing pervasiveness and the commercialization of American culture and history. The piece critiques how marketing infiltrates every aspect of life, even education and national memory.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Historian Develops an Ad- vertising Complex Ricut between those crunchy ice-cakes! Just before the stroke of twelve! Yet un- troubled by the frosty, tangy, zippy mid- night air! That's the setting, folks, for that famous Delaware Crossing! Men from the Thirteen Original Col- onies! Boats from the buoyant McCon- key's Ferry! And best of all, the incom- parable General Washington, raised on the plantations of Old Virginia! There's discrimination for you, folks! There's what we put into our genuine Delaware Crossing! Read it to the grown-ups! Read it to the kiddies! Read it after every meal and just before going to bed! Read it with ginger ale, if you like, or with soup, or with pretzels! It’s a salty, crunchy, crisp tale! It surprised the Hessians, and it will surprise you! If your local library cannot supply you, write direct to us; or clip the coupon in the corner of the page, and we'll send you, free, a ten-day trial tube. Enjoy A Delaware Crossing!!! There are no finer peanuts grown than the ones you'll find in the Planters glassine bag. Crisp, salted, perfectly roasted, wholesome. No card game’s complete without them. Look for Mr. Peanut and the Planters name. The “ante” is five cents. “The Nickel Lunch.” Punters Nut & Cxocorate Company U.S. A. and Canada PLANTERS SALTED PEANUTS oe ty as a queen. Under way she haw U: pi svell & ppecehilly wad os buoycody 6 ens gull, On board, mm with every comfort § Pes Y wo ree a the word in your vocabulary that oS A brochure, Richardson Cruissbo Fore aod Ah Cabin, and Day Crvische RICHARDSON BOAT COMPANY, tec. _ s Richard son ut ous accommodations. Her forward cabin ‘and two large, comfortable berths thet singh baw Cano odes wicker chatrs can be found only y—you'll ssy that “JAUNTY® ie aoa x iThasentes and describes the Master, 7 will easil you 0 copy on request, 978 Sweeaey Se, Nor Toaawaoda, N.Y. isa boul MILK-FED “Queer brownish pussy cat they have down at the drug store—I often wonder what variety.” “Chocolate Maltese, most likely.” Teacner: What do they call the in- strument the French use for beheading ple? P osat The Gillette, I think. First Tramp: That bum's sure fond of readin’. Stconp Tramp: I never seen nothin’ like it. Why, he even reads the Want ads. First Boarper: What makes the milk look so blue? Seconp AnarMic: Being separated from the cream. Half orange juice, half Martini & Rossi Vermouth. Add little lemon juice, sugar, few drops bitters. Recipes sent with Bridge Score Pad gratis on re- quest to W. A. TAYLOR & CO., 94H Pine St., New York. MARTINI & ROSSI NON ALCOHOLIC Vermouth comicbooks.com