Life, 1911-01-05 · page 9 of 104
Life — January 5, 1911 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **Oldsmobile automobile advertisement**, not political satire. The page features a luxury car displayed at what appears to be an upscale social gathering or automobile show, with well-dressed attendees in the background beneath a "Cadillac" banner (likely indicating the venue). The advertisement's headline—"The car of today—and tomorrow"—appeals to buyers by suggesting the 1911 Oldsmobile represents both current sophistication and future-proof value. The text emphasizes "thirteen years of constant improvement," positioning the vehicle as a sound investment. The image uses aspirational imagery common to early automotive advertising: affluent social settings, elegant clothing, and implicit status association. This reflects pre-WWI consumer marketing strategies targeting wealthy buyers. This is **not a satirical cartoon** but a straightforward commercial appeal.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The car of today—and tomorrow T the automobile shows, or in any one of two A hundred and fifty salesrooms, you are invited to pass judgment on the latest product of one of the oldest automobile factories—the Oldsmobile for 1911. Your verdict on any car is generally based on present appearance and performance, but before purchasing assure yourself that the excellence of to- THE SPECIAL Four-cylinder; Bore, 434"; Stroke, 4%": 36 inch Tires. THE AUTOCRAT ’ —shown above Four-cylinder; Bore, The soundest advice to the purchaser of a motor car is: buy your car for “tomorrow.” Nearly thirteen years of constant improvement, culminating in the 1911 Oldsmobile, assures the owner of all that is best today—and furthermore, of a substantial return on his investment for years to come. day will be permanent in after years. THE LIMITED Six-cylinder; Bore, 5"; Stroke, 6”; 5°; Stroke, 6”: 42 inch Tires. 38 inch Tires. TOURING CARS ROADSTERS OLDS MOTOR WORKS TOURABOUTS CLOSED CARS LANSING, MICHIGAN Licensed Under Selden Patent BRANCH HOUSES at Boston, Philadelphia, Loulsville, Detroit, Chicago, St. Louis, and Kansas City. DISTRIBUTORS IN NEW YORK REPRESENTATIVES IN EVERY STATE AND IN CANADA comicbooks.com