Life, 1911-03-23 · page 44 of 44
Life — March 23, 1911 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for the Maxwell Model AB, priced at $600. The image shows a couple in an early motorcar enjoying a scenic countryside drive, illustrating the advertiser's pitch: car ownership grants access to beautiful landscapes and roads unavailable to non-owners, promotes health through fresh air and rest, and represents a sound financial investment with "large dividends." The text employs romantic, aspirational language typical of early 1900s advertising—the car as a "Spring tonic" offering freedom and leisure. The ad emphasizes the novelty of automobile ownership as a status marker and lifestyle enhancement. Notable: Sales figures listed ("Sold to Jan 31, 1911—41,273") suggest the Maxwell was successfully marketed during the early automotive boom, when cars remained luxury goods for the relatively wealthy.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Enjoyment like this will be yours. —if you own a motor car. A motor car gives you’ a part ownership in all the land and roads about you —an ownership that you can obtain in no other way, even though you possess millions. It will take you miles and miles, and does not get tired. It opens up to you the whole beautiful countryside—the splendid 9? boulevards—the old post roads—the unfrequented but NMorwé extreme! interesting back roads—the whole glorious out-of-doors. A motor car is a Spring tonic. It takes Model AB you out into the fresh air—rests you—banishes your 2-cylinder 16-horse power fatigue—builds up your health. A motor car is an $ investment—it pays large dividends in health and enjoy- 600 ment. Why not nt your motor car "be seed Maxwell? as of —_- M A X W E L L . B R I S Cc Oo E <a FA aed MOTOR CO. tKerrrovin NY, PARRY TOW ¥. Wi KINGSLAND POINT, Watch the Figures Grow Member A. L. A. M. ease Maxwells in comicbooks.com