Life, 1908-05-07 · page 48 of 48
Life — May 7, 1908 — page 48: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not satire. The Baker Motor Vehicle Company promotes electric automobiles to early-20th-century readers. The page showcases five vehicle models (Runabout, Queen Victoria, Roadster, Landaulet, Inside-driven Coupe) with photographs demonstrating their elegance and practicality. The text emphasizes electric vehicles' advantages: no repair bills, simple operation, safety, and reliability—appealing to affluent buyers, particularly women, who found them easier to operate than gasoline cars requiring hand-cranking. The repeated slogan **"Simplicity means Reliability"** reinforces the marketing message. References to "eight years experience in progressive Electric Automobile construction" and being "recognized as the most efficient in the world" assert the company's legitimacy. This advertisement reflects a historical moment when electric vehicles competed seriously with gasoline engines before gas cars ultimately dominated the market.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Standard of Electric Vehicles The carriage for every-day service—no matter what the weather. The simplest to operate—the safest to drive. Electric Vehicles The Automobile without a repair bill. The Car with a motor and controller which require no attention. The highest expression of modern electrical and mechanical engineering combined with eight years experience in progressive Electric The M ‘ g N 2) Automobile con- paar ral : N | yA struction. chine with a at Se ; L / —,* , factory behind it 2 = ie. . 4 Notthecheap- which produces ~ \ ‘\est to buy—but quality. ‘ i ° : aoe \ the cheapest The pride of the - a \ to maintain. maker. The pride of the owner. The Electric recognized as the most efficient in the world. The Automobile with the fewest parts and fewest adjustments. Electric WR Landaulet e X \ driven Baker Electrics are built on the principle Coupe “Simplicity means Reliability” Queen Victoria Let us send you our 1908 catalog showing a complete line of fifteen different models of Baker Electrics. The Baker Motor Vehicle Company Agencies in all principal cities. 33 W. 80th Street, Cleveland, O.