Life, 1910-07-07 · page 33 of 48
Life — July 7, 1910 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising, not satire or political commentary**. The page is a Warner Auto-Meter speed-indicator advertisement from an early 1900s Life magazine issue. The text argues that motorists should value two qualities in speedometers: absolute accuracy and durability ("wearability"). It acknowledges Warner's product costs more than competitors but claims this reflects superior engineering—the instrument maintains accuracy over time while cheaper alternatives become "junk." The **three aviation photographs** in the left margin are unrelated editorial content: early aircraft (a Roe triplane, Curtiss biplane, and Paulhan flying machine) with photo credits to Edwin Levick and M. Branger. **The point**: This is straightforward product promotion positioning Warner as the premium, reliable choice for serious motorists—those "who know." There is no satirical commentary or political content; it's a standard early-automotive-era advertisement appealing to quality-conscious consumers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
‘LIFE: The Two Deciding Factors in Purchasing a Speed-Indicator With the motorist of experience, the first of these deciding factors is absolute accuracy—for he realizes that without absolute accuracy he might as well have no speed-indicator at all. But almost as important is wearability, the power to stand indefinitely the tests of service without deterioration. For even though an instrument be accurate at the start, that accuracy is of little value unless it continues. Such a motorist—or any motorist who investigates thoroughly—puts the Warner Auto-Meter on his car. For he finds that the Warner Auto-Meter is the only speed-indicating device considered in important tests or races where accuracy of speed-indication is a necessity. On the cars of quality everywhere—the cars of the men who know— the Warner Auto-Meter holds the place of honor. And the accuracy which distinguishes it when it first goes on the car remains a feature of it long after an ordinary instrument would be ‘‘junk.”” The motorist of less experience sometimes gives undue weight to price. It is true that the Warner Auto-Meter costs more. You can buy speed-indicating devices for almost any price you want to pay But the Warner Auto-Meter costs more solely and simply because an in- strument which will give perfect service—continued perfect service—under any and all operating conditions, cannot be sold for less. And the Warner name will never go on any instrument which will not meet with perfection the hardest service tests. The verdict of the motor-wise bears out all that we say of the Warner Auto-Meter. We should like to place in your hands a copy of our interesting booklet. Drop us a line mentioning your car, or call at our nearest branch. Warner Instrument Company, "At" Beloit, Wis. ATLANTA, 116 Edgewood Ave.: BOSTON, 925 Boylston St Branches jrtar Manse cute x ers 1 c TH, Broadway Illinois St ORK, 1 5940 Kirkw Pike St; ST. LOU Olive St Aviation Note The top picture is a view of the Roe triplane, an English ma chine, in flight. The middle photo is of Curtiss on his biplane and the lower picture shows Paulhan flying over the grandstand at Los Angeles. The top and bottom photos are by Edwin Levick ; the c the center 1s copyrighted by M. Branger, Paris, AP Wm The Aristocrat of Soved! Tea Models—$90 to $145 icomicbooksseom