Life, 1910-09-22 · page 40 of 40
Life — September 22, 1910 — page 40: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Baker Electric automobiles in the September 22, 1910 *Life* magazine. The image depicts an elegantly dressed couple—a man in formal attire and a woman in fashionable dress with a wide-brimmed hat—standing beside a Baker Electric motorcar. The Capitol building appears in the background, suggesting prestige and respectability. The ad's appeal targets wealthy, sophisticated buyers by emphasizing that European nobility ("men and women of rank") prefer Baker Electrics for their "beauty of design and silent operation." This was a key selling point: electric cars were quiet and required no hand-cranking, unlike gasoline vehicles—making them particularly attractive to wealthy women and the upper classes. The mention of lead or Edison batteries reflects early electric vehicle technology options available in 1911. The ad essentially positions Baker Electrics as the choice of refined, international taste.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A EUROPEAN PREFERENCE BAKER ELECTRICS have been repeatedly purchased abroad by men and women of rank, who have been attracted by its beauty of design and silent operation. The SHAFT DRIVE is absolutely noiseless. Its bevel gears run in oil. Equipped with either lead or Edison 1911 Models now being delivered. Write batteries (50 cells A4 or 40 cells for illustrated catalogue or see them in A6)—-whichever purchaser may prefer. salesroom of our agents in your city. THE BAKER MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO 33 WEST 80r) STREET comicbooks.com