Life, 1928-12-28 · page 4 of 37
Life — December 28, 1928 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward advertisement for the Mimeograph machine, placed in *Life* magazine (page 2). The image shows the mimeograph device itself (a duplicating machine), and the text promotes it as a tool for efficiently reproducing documents at low cost. The ad argues that the mimeograph helps people "crystallize" and distribute their ideas through printed bulletins, letters, forms, and instructional materials. The headline "Crystallizing an Idea" is a marketing metaphor suggesting the device transforms abstract thoughts into concrete, shareable documents. The ad targets office workers, factory managers, and educators, emphasizing speed and economy. It directs readers to contact A.B. Dick Company in Chicago for details. This reflects early 20th-century business culture and the emerging demand for office technology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
CRYSTALLIZING AN IDEA Many a brilliant idea goes to waste because there is not at hand a speedy and inexpensive means of putting it to work. The Mimeograph is a great crystallizer of ideas. It does a big job quickly, simply—and at small cost. The man who has one in his office, factory or schoolroom easily focalizes his inspirations, for he has under his personal supervision the efficient equipment necessary for dispatching to all of his objectives his ideas and convictions. The Mimeograph is capable of turning out, in every hour of the working day, thousands of well printed bulletins, form letters, instruction sheets, questionnaires, charts, maps, plans, etc., easily and at almost negative cost. That is why it is an effective unifier of organization and a crystallizer of ideas, Get particulars today from A. B. Dick Company, Chicago—with ‘branches or dealers everywhere. MIMEOGRAPH comicbooks.com