Life — November 3, 1910 — page 7: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Thomas Closed Cars Advertisement This is a **commercial advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Thomas Closed Cars, an early automobile manufactured by E.R. Thomas Motor Co. in Buffalo, New York. The page emphasizes luxury features targeting wealthy customers: exclusive design, delicate fabrics, easy entry/exit for social visits, and smooth operation. The decorative illustrations along the margins show women in fashionable dress using the vehicles for shopping and theater—depicting automobiles as status symbols for affluent leisure activities. Key selling points include a six-cylinder engine, glass windows, and quiet operation. The advertisement positions closed cars as superior to open vehicles, particularly appealing to women concerned with maintaining appearance during outings. This reflects early 1910s automobile marketing, when cars were luxury goods for the wealthy.