Life, 1905-06-22 · page 4 of 26
Life — June 22, 1905 — page 4: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. The dominant advertisement promotes the **American Mercedes automobile** (priced at $7,500), manufactured under license by Daimler in Long Island City. The ad emphasizes that vital parts are imported from Germany, positioning the car as a precise copy of the German original—a selling point suggesting European engineering superiority to American readers. Below are luxury product advertisements: **Louis Roederer Champagne** (represented by E. La Montagne & Sons) and **J. & F. Martell Cognac and Brandies** (founded 1715). This reflects the **pre-WWI era** when European luxury goods—automobiles, wines, spirits—held prestige among affluent American consumers. The page targets wealthy readers with disposable income for expensive imports.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The mechanical construction of the American Mercedes is as perfect in its working as nature itself, even to the smallest detail. Our ownership of all the patents, designs and shop-drawings of our parent company, The Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft of Germany, for the United States and Canada, enables us to make an exact copy of the German Mercedes. All vital parts are imported. PARIS PRICE, $7,500. NEW YORK PRICE, $7,500. Buying the American Mercedes saves you the duty. Write for our booklet showing detailed description of car. DAIMLER MEG. CO., 953 Steinway Avenue, Long Island City, N.Y. ___New York City Garage, 10 WEST 60th STREET. LOVIS ROEDERER. CHAMPAGNE Cognac (Founded 1715) BRUT” 1 f” @\ FINE OLD A. “Grand Vin Sec”* 4 ; Special Cuvee aes Sa one uimvee | LIQUEUR 1898 SS ‘*Carte Blanche” : : GENUINE OLD BRANDIES MADE FROM WINE | Sole Agent Ropresented by } G. S. NICHOLAS E. LaMONTAGNE & SONS a New York 45 BEAVER ST., NEW YORK comicbooks.com