Life, 1910-08-04 · page 43 of 44
Life — August 4, 1910 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **vintage automobile advertisement**, not political satire. It's a full-page ad from *Life* magazine for the F.B. Stearns Company automobile, based in Cleveland, Ohio. The ad emphasizes the Stearns as "a Car for Every Purpose"—capable on mountain roads, boulevards, and suitable for both business trips and social occasions. The illustrated scene shows well-dressed passengers in a touring car in an idyllic landscape with mountains, water, and trees. The marketing pitch stresses luxury features: "quietness and flexibility," dignified appointments, and "great reserve power." Two models are advertised at $4,600 and $3,200, positioning the Stearns as a premium American automobile commanding respect on the road. This reflects early 1900s car marketing targeting affluent, discriminating buyers. The "White Line Radiator" is highlighted as a distinctive feature. There is no political or satirical content—this is straightforward period advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Stearns the continent as a spin to a suburban club. It is as well suited for social duties as for a week-end trip to some summer resort. The Stearns has great reserve power, yet its efficiency and durability commend it no less than its luxuriousness and comfort, Simplicity and ease of control are as characteristic 30-60 h. p. touring car $4,600.00 s a Car for Every Purpose The Stearns is suited for all uses—it is not limited to any particular field. It performs as efficiently on rough mountain toads as on the boulevards; it is as ready for a trip across of the Stearns as quietness and flexibility. The car is rich and dignified, its body appointments appealing directly to those discriminating motorists who demand high grade service _in every essential detail. ‘These features, enhanced by the great reserve power of the motor, place the Stearns on a higher plane than any other American car. all conditions the driver is master of the road—his car is admired and respected and always commands the right-of-way. + 15-30 h. p. touring car $3,200.00 (Vestibule or open touring body optional) 30-60 H. P. Model The F. B. Stearns Company 15.30 H. PL (Licensed under Seiden Patent) Model Shaft of Chain Drive Pacific Coast Distributing Office CLEVELAND, OHIO Shaft Drive 1651 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, California sited COPY OF OUR LATEST CATALOG, JUST ISSUED, SENT UPON REQUEST THE WHITE LINE RADIATOR BELONGS TO THE STEARNS — comicbooks.com