Life, 1929-08-09 · page 6 of 44
Life — August 9, 1929 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **cigarette advertisement** for Raleigh brand, not political satire. The illustration shows a silhouetted figure in formal attire (coat, hat) viewed from behind, standing before clouds. The accompanying text uses period marketing language emphasizing the cigarette's quality: consistent blending, mild taste, and firm construction. The reference to "old Sir Walter" appears to invoke Sir Walter Raleigh, the historical figure after whom the brand is named—a common marketing practice linking products to famous names. The final line "[PLAIN—OR TIPPED]" indicates packaging options available to consumers. This represents early 20th-century tobacco advertising, notable today primarily for its candid promotion of cigarettes without health warnings—a practice later restricted by law.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
iR| N short, plain words, \ | each puff of pure lea! in - this cigarette is blended like each other puff; no streak, no sting can mar the even, rich, mild taste of it. The law says no one else can maich it. The public has taken to it. They like its plump shape, its firmness, the smooth draw and even ash of it—its proper way of not spilling itself about But mostly, of course, the fact that it is so obviously worth the little it costs Yes; old Sir Walter (if he knows what's going on in his America) should think himself very decently represented indeed. aleigh ( d Ko ( SOO) lventy- Gl (PLAIN — on Tipped J BROWN AND WILLIAMSON TOBACCO CORPORATION, Louisville, Kentucky comicbooks.com