The Wasp — 1893 — page 353: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is primarily an **advertisement** for real estate, not political satire. J. Grothwell & Co. promotes home ownership through monthly installment plans ($10-50/month depending on location) for properties in San Francisco. The illustration depicts a domestic scene where a real estate agent presents housing options to a working-class family. The four corner vignettes show different house styles available. The central message—"No Place Like Your Own Home"—appeals to aspirational homebuyers by emphasizing personal property ownership as an achievable goal for ordinary families. The ad announces an auction of "87 Choice Mission Home Lots" at Metropolitan Temple on April 29, 1893 at 9:30 PM. This represents late-19th-century real estate marketing targeting the middle and working classes during San Francisco's expansion.