Life — April 6, 1905 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page contains **no political cartoons or satire**—it is primarily **automobile advertising** from the early 1900s. The top half advertises Ford's "Big Four" model line (Models B, C, and a Doctor's Car variant), emphasizing their affordability and practical design for different needs. The bottom half advertises the Wayne automobile, priced at $1,250-$2,000, featuring five-passenger touring cars with technical specifications highlighted. Both ads target middle-class consumers by stressing reliability, power comparison, and value. The imagery shows elegant vehicles with passengers in period dress, reflecting early automotive aspirations. This represents the competitive early auto industry before Ford's Model T dominance, when multiple manufacturers competed on features and price points rather than standardization.