The Wasp — 1890 — page 359: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical cartoon depicts financial market conditions through caricatured figures. On the left is a smiling face labeled "Ivory plentiful," suggesting abundance in certain commodities. The center shows two figures engaged in energetic business dealings with what appears to be a torpedo or cylindrical object, captioned "Coffee and tea active"—indicating volatile trading in these goods. On the right, a figure handles a coiled rope or spring, labeled "Rubber goods not certain," reflecting uncertain market conditions for rubber. The overall joke satirizes how financial markets are described in dry, technical language, here translated into visual absurdity. The exaggerated gestures and comic figures mock the serious tone of stock market reporting while commenting on actual commodity price fluctuations affecting California's economy in this period.