Judge — January 3, 1914 — page 13: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This is a satirical guide mocking used-car dealers and naive buyers in the early automobile era. The comic shows six steps depicting a scheme: (1) an honest chauffeur's pitch; (2) a crash; (3) deceptive sales tactics; (4) spending money on cosmetic fixes; (5) misrepresenting the vehicle to other buyers through competitive showmanship; (6) flipping it for profit while ignoring mechanical damage. The satire targets both dishonest dealers who hide a car's deteriorated condition under new paint and "turquoise blue" varnish, and gullible purchasers. The punchline—making $3,000 profit despite spending $275 on the car and $670 on accessories—exposes the absurdity of profiting from fraud. Judge ridicules the get-rich-quick mentality surrounding the booming automobile industry and caveat emptor (buyer beware) ethics.