Life, 1905-01-19 · page 2 of 38
Life — January 19, 1905 — page 2: 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 Decauville automobile, placed in Life magazine's January 19, 1905 issue. The ad features a line drawing of an early motorcar and promotes the French-made Decauville brand through the Standard Automobile Company in New York. It emphasizes the car's features: a "steel pan," double ignition system, and refined construction. The ad notes these models (12, 16, 20, 24-28, 30-35, and 45 horsepower variants) have been manufactured for ten years by the Société Decauville in France. The phrase "That Decauville Car" appears designed to suggest the vehicle was already well-known enough to be referenced familiarly. The ad targets wealthy purchasers considering early automobiles.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
YORK, JANUARY 19, 1905. VOLUME XLV. ‘ walle New Your Posy Ornece as Stcone-Cules tan, MarTeA NUMBER 1160. Corrmant, 1908, #7 LE Pumsena Comma ae ff ff ia) IMPORTED 12:16 H. P. BROUGHAM “TT HAT Decauville Car." about which you hear ro much, is us own best advertisement. In order to appreciate how convincingly it speaks for itself, you must visit our exhibit at the Importers Automobile Salon now being held at the Herald Square Building, Broadway and Thirty-fourth Street and see our models for 1905. They include 12-16, 16-20, 24.28, 30-35, and 45-60 H. P. cars which will be demonstrated to the complete satisfaction of the most exacting purchaser. The features embodied in there new models are, first of all, “that steel pan" which, together with our double system of ignition, (viz.) high-tension magneto and accumulator, combined with refinement of detail, strength and simplicity of construction, constitute the principal “talking points" of the most satisfactory all ‘round French car on the market to-day. These cars have been built for the last ten years by the Société Dacauville of France, whose factory is the pride of European engineers, and, to say the least, you owe it to yourself to give “* That Decawville Car“ a sizing up before making your final selection. If you wish to enjoy the fine early-Spring riding, place your orders NOW. Patented Nov. 4,06 June £446 May 12°, Sole American Agent, Standard Automobile Company, of New York. Licensed Importer under Selden Patent Salesroom : Garage: 136 West 38th Street 1684 Broadway comicbooks.com