It isn't often that one finds a reasonably large display ad for
The Ampico -- on the front page of the Los Angeles Times, no less!

There's a story here... The Los Angeles Times is running a series of
historical front pages from the entire 20th century, and will run them
through the end of this year.  Each of these front pages is reproduced
entirely, but reduced by almost half.  Todays front page, from the
archives, is from March 31, 1920; its eight-column banner announces,
"Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks are Secretly Married Here".
(This is a headline?  This is worthy news?)

More important to me is the fact that this front page also had two ads
in the bottom corners.  On the left is a two-column by perhaps 10-inch
ad advising male readers of the importance of "the matter of correct
business dress", and it goes on to tell the reader that "Such clothes
as we show for Spring are an asset to your business."  The advertiser
is Muller and Bluett, apparently a haberdasher at Broadway and Sixth,
in downtown Los Angeles.

Of much more interest, though, was the two-column by perhaps eight- or
nine-inch ad in the bottom right from "The House of Chickering", Frank
J. Mart (Kart? Can't make that out), Southern California Music Company"
with a headline, "-- and Best of All the AMPICO reproducing piano...may
be in the greatest of all Pianos, the -- CHICKERING."

Some of the body copy tells the reader that, "By the magic of science
the owners of a Chickering Ampico Reproducing Piano may summon at will
the great living pianists and hear his favorite selections played by
his favorite artists."  The Chickering retailer offers "Liberal Allow-
ance For Your Used Piano" from "Los Angeles' One-Price Piano Store".

Best regards,

Tom Steuer