Life, 1911-01-05 · page 85 of 104
Life — January 5, 1911 — page 85: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from *Life* magazine, likely from around 1911 (the 11th International Automobile Show is referenced). The page promotes the Abbott-Detroit motor car, a mid-priced vehicle ($1,500) competing in the emerging mass-market automobile industry. The advertisement claims the Abbott-Detroit achieves "perfect standardization"—a selling point emphasizing that this car incorporates the best engineering innovations developed since automobiles' invention, all at an affordable price point. Two vehicle illustrations showcase different models: a Five-Passenger Touring Car and a Roadster. The text boasts the car "looks like a $4000 car, runs like a $4000 car, endures like a $4000 car" while costing only $1,500—a value proposition aimed at middle-class buyers. The advertisement also highlights the car's racing credentials, mentioning victories in "national and international speed and endurance contests." There is no political satire or cartoon content present on this page.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Five-Passenger Touring Car HE Abbott-Detroit is the one car selling at $1500 that has reached 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 em- bodies, in every detail, the best that has been done. It is a composite revela- Such mechanical ex- tion of perfections. cellence, such faithfulness to reproduce all the Blue Ribbon ideas, cannot be found in any other car at this price. Model B, Five-Passenger Touring Car, Standard Equipment, $1500 F. O. B. Detroit. Fore- Dex, ative Passenger Touring Car, Standard Equipment, $1550 F. 0. B. Detroit. Ronditer, Standard Equipment, $1500 F. 0. B. Detroit. Fore-Door, Demi-Tonneau (tonneau detachable), Standard Equipment. $1650 F. 0. B. Detroit. Coupe, Standard Equipment. $2350 F. O. B. Detroit. ng life ot psleney, ALL MODELS EXHIBITED I!th ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL AUTOMOBILE SHOW, GRAND ' sIbbott- ‘Detroit | Roadster Many features of the Abbott-Detroit are achievements 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 — car, runs like a $4000 car, endures like a $4000 car, can be bought for $1500. The Abbott-Detroit has an enviable record. The sig- nificance of ‘ts victories in national = international speed and endur- ance contests easily distinguishes it ‘as far above the cars supposed to be in its class solely because of price classification. Our Ilustrated Catalog—The Book of Abbott-Detroit—upon request. Abbott Motor Co. 120 Waterloo Street, Detroit, Michigan. CENTRAL PALACE, NEW YORK CITY, DECEMBER 3I—JANUARY 7, Ground Floor, Section N. 85 ~ comicbooks.com