The Wasp — 1888 — page 448: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily an **advertising page** from *The Wasp* (San Francisco satirical weekly), dated June 9, 1888. The masthead features ornate lettering of the magazine's title, and the page is dominated by commercial advertisements for San Francisco businesses. Notable ads include: - **M. Meussdorffer's Hats** (top) - **Bancroft Company** whiskeys and pianos - Various local merchants (hardware, shoes, patent water closets, bitters) - **Dr. Henley's** tonic (with illustrated portrait) - **Tamarack** tobacco (bottom right) Two illustrated advertisements feature caricatured male faces, likely promoting patent medicines or tonics—common in this era. The page shows no obvious political cartoons or satire; it functions primarily as a revenue vehicle through classified and display advertising typical of 19th-century periodicals.