Life — March 28, 1930 — page 2: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Advertisement Analysis This is a **Sheaffer pen and pencil advertisement**, not political satire. The page promotes Sheaffer's "Balance" line of writing instruments through product display. The illustration shows a man balancing on skis while holding a rifle, demonstrating the concept of "balance" through physical equilibrium. Six different pen and pencil models are displayed below, each labeled with product numbers and prices (ranging from $2.50 to $4.00). The ad emphasizes Sheaffer's exclusive government rights to the "Balance" and "Lifetime" brand names, claiming superior quality and lifetime durability guarantees. The skiing imagery is purely metaphorical—suggesting that balanced, quality writing instruments help users navigate life smoothly, much as balance helps a skier move effectively. This is commercial advertising, not editorial content.