Life, 1908-11-12 · page 24 of 24
Life — November 12, 1908 — page 24: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from Life magazine (dated November 12, 1909, based on the visible date). The page shows an **Oldsmobile advertisement** featuring a photograph of the 1909 model parked in a brick archway garage. A driver sits in the open-air vehicle. The text emphasizes Oldsmobile's track record: "ten successful years" of manufacturing, claiming this heritage guarantees "sound materials" and "perfect performance." The car is marketed as "the logical car at the logical price," priced at $2,750—positioning it as sensible mid-range transportation. The only quasi-humorous element is the small "KEEP TO THE RIGHT" sign visible on the building, a period traffic notice with no satirical intent. **This is promotional content, not editorial satire.**
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“1909”’ Oldsmobile out of the factory represents a good deal more than }f car’s advance in engineering and designing :—it has ten successful years of ar building behind it. Analyzed, this statement means a good deal to jf } the purch it is a fairly adequate assurance of sound materials, un-theoretical con- struction and perfect performance. This year—more than ever—the Oldsmobile is “‘ the }] logical car at the logical price.’”’ The Five Passenger Touring Car, Fully Equipped, $2750 OLDS MOTOR WORKS Lan i