Life, 1907-10-17 · page 42 of 44
Life — October 17, 1907 — page 42: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a cartoon or satire—it's a **full-page advertisement** for Michelin tires published in *Life* magazine. The page announces Michelin's new American factory in Milltown, New Jersey, which eliminates import duties and shipping costs that previously made French-made Michelin tires expensive for American consumers. The four circular images on the left show racing scenes and vintage automobiles, emphasizing the brand's prestige through association with winning race cars. The ad's central pitch: Michelin tires—previously a luxury import—are now affordable domestically without sacrificing quality. The text claims American-made Michelins are "identical" to French, English, and Italian versions and references the tires' proven performance in "the world's greatest races." This reflects early 20th-century industrial nationalism: foreign luxury goods becoming accessible through domestic manufacturing, framed as both economic victory and democratic progress (quality goods "now within your reach").
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
FRANCE, ENGLAND, ITALY, AMERICA The high import duty and heavy trans- Atlantic transportation charges on Michelin tires have been removed by the establishment of our great American Michelin Factory. OU can now afford to equip your car with the tire which is universally recognized as the best in the world. Michelin durability is so universally appreciated that for years Americans have been heavy purchasers of the imported Michelins in spite of their high cost, because their unequalled wear- ing qualities resulted in a marked economy in the course of a year. This economy is now within your reach. The name Michelin has always stood for the greatest tire value that money could buy and now that it stands for reasonable cost also, the tire problem is solved. "THE tires made in our American factory are identical in the most minute particular with the outputs of our factories in France, England and Italy. They are the same famous Michelins which have been used on the winning cars in all the world’s greatest races for the last six years and which made these victories possible. Manufacturers of all classes of cars can now afford to equip with Michelins at no extra cost to you. The leading cars are making Michelins their standard catalogued equipment. Specify Michelin tires when purchasing your new car. Exhibiting at Grand Central Palace, Gallery Space 129 Exhibiting at Madison Square Garden, Basement Space 209 Exhibiting at Chicago Coliseum, Annex Spaces 102 and 103 CLINCHER TYPE QUICK DETACHABLE TYPE Round, Flat and Anti-skid Round and Anti-skid American and Millimeter Sizes American Sizes Only All the above can be used on any of the well known Quick Detachable Rims MICHELIN TIRE COMPANY MILLTOWN, N. J., U. S. A. comicbooks.com