The Wasp — 1891 — page 25: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a title/masthead page for *The Wasp*, a satirical magazine. The central image depicts an allegorical female figure (representing either "Liberty" or "The Press") standing triumphantly on lions and mechanical gears, holding a quill pen and globe. She wears a crown and classical robes. The text makes competing claims about newspaper circulation and credibility: - Top banner: "A newspaper of known circulation has the confidence of the people" - Bottom banner: "The Examiner is the only newspaper of known circulation on the Pacific Coast" This is self-promotion disguised as satire. *The Wasp* appears to be mocking *The Examiner* newspaper's boastful advertising claims while simultaneously making similar assertions about its own superiority and trustworthiness to West Coast readers.