Life, 1909-06-24 · page 28 of 29
Life — June 24, 1909 — page 28: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a full-page **automobile advertisement** for Oldsmobile, dated June 24, 190[2]. The image shows a luxury touring car with six passengers driving through a tree-lined road. The ad copy emphasizes the car's exclusivity ("limited in its appeal"), technical features (42-inch wheels, six-cylinder engine), and premium positioning as "the final word in motor car manufacture." The appeal is to wealthy consumers seeking "maximum speed, comfort and reliability." Prices listed ($1,500 and $1,600) indicate this was a luxury product for the affluent. **Why it appears in Life magazine**: *Life* was a general-interest publication that carried upscale advertising alongside humor and commentary. This reflects early 1900s automotive marketing targeting the leisure class who could afford such vehicles. There is no satire here—simply period advertising for a prestige automobile brand.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
gecrmorcveaverg Fe watos-e ee er er td well be called the ‘‘ Oldsmobile Limite limited in its appeal to those who practi most darin 1obile, most highly perf It is almost imy to turn out small ineqt 1 efficiency so long associated with the word Oldsmobile, together y of design—and limited in output with forty-two inch wheels, is the ‘‘final word” in motor car manu t of the large wheels, but because the ez a whole is the > maximum of speed, comfort and relia after many th id miles nomy is cen allotted and sé delivered early in season, a orders f ipt. Only branch will inform you a t dates of delivery. ger cars and road: 47 comicbooks.com