The Wasp — 1890 — page 56: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This page is primarily **advertising, not satire or political cartooning**. The Wasp masthead appears at top, but the content consists of two main sections: 1. **Upper half**: An advertisement for Joseph Budde's patent water closets (toilets), promoting them as "best and cheapest" with medals awarded at state fairs. It lists numerous San Francisco buildings using these fixtures and displays product illustrations. 2. **Lower half**: Two separate merchant advertisements—J.M. Litchfield & Co. (military tailors) and W.W. Montague & Co. (stoves, heating apparatus, and building materials). The page demonstrates how 19th-century satirical magazines sustained themselves through paid advertising rather than editorial content alone. There is no discernible political commentary or cartoon humor present.