Life, 1910-12-15 · page 43 of 44
Life — December 15, 1910 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from *Life* magazine, likely early 1900s. The page showcases two car models from Abbott Motor Co. (Detroit): a Fore-Door Demi-Tonneau and a Coupe. The ad's central claim is that the Abbott-Detroit, priced at $1,500, offers features and performance comparable to cars costing $4,000—essentially claiming exceptional value. The advertisement emphasizes mechanical excellence, speed/endurance contest victories, and standardized quality as selling points. The textured diagonal bands framing each vehicle are decorative design elements typical of the era. The small Abbott-Detroit logo and company address (120 Waterloo Street, Detroit) appear at bottom right. For modern readers: this represents early automotive marketing emphasizing affordability without sacrificing quality—a pitch still common today.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
a perfect stage of standardization. By this we mean to say that, taking all that has been accomplished in motordom since the first automobile stood up, the Abbott-Detroit embodies, in every detail, the best that has been done. It is a compo- la a site revelation of perfections. Such mechanical excellence, s such faithfulness to repro- sit ideas cannot be found in Abbott Deiroit | r | NHE Abbott-Detroit is the one car selling at $1500 that has reached duce all the Blue Ribbon any other car at this price. | Many features of the ———— Abbott-Detroit are achieve- ments of magnitude in themselves. Many of the fine points represent the best work of lifetimes, which were specialized on these details. “The Abbott-Detroit looks like a $4000 car, runs like a $4000 car, endures like a $4000 car, can be bought for $1500. The Abbott-Detroit has an enviable record. The significance of its victories in national and international speed and endurance contests easily distinguishes it as far above the cars supposed to be in its class solely because of price classification. Our Illustrated Catalog—The Book Model B, Five-Passenger Touring Car, Standard Equipment, f Abbott- — . eB, Five Pasenee: | of Abbott-Detroit—upon request. Roadster, Standard Equipment, $1500 F. 0. B. Detroit. Fore-Door, DemicTonneau (tonneau detachable), Standard A b b oO t t M re) t or C oO. Equipment, $1650 F. 0. B. Detroit. : Coupe. Standard Equipment, $2350 F. 0. B. Detroit. 120 Waterloo Street, Detroit, Michigan. THE WILLIAMS PRINTING COMPANY, NEW YORK