Life, 1911-10-26 · page 31 of 50
Life — October 26, 1911 — page 31: 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, circa 1912. The page promotes the Marion motor car, manufactured by the Marion Sales Company in Indianapolis. The ad emphasizes the vehicle's superior construction: rust-resistant steel body, reinforced frame, double-enameled fenders, and quality leather upholstery. The decorative imagery (classical bust, mountain landscape, silhouettes) serves as ornamental framing typical of early 20th-century advertising, not satirical commentary. The "Thirty-Five" model is priced at $1,285—positioning it as a luxury vehicle. The text claims Marion "created its own class," suggesting it occupied a premium market segment. The ad reflects the era's automotive marketing approach: emphasizing durability and craftsmanship rather than speed or style. There is no political or social satire present; this is commercial messaging in a magazine that, while satirical in other content, carried paid advertisements.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
construction ‘is again” emi the steel foredoor body—a’ ? ding —designed nd. “along those § preciseand exact lines conceded by. engineers and’ master’ coach builders “alike to be not onl J $ The body frame work ~ with stout ribbing, whic! shape of the steel indefinitely and is a” guarantee against sagging foredoors. The sheet.steel used in motor car body building isa prey to rust. Paint will cover rust over, but it will not efface it, and ifall rust is not effectively cntof, before the paint is applied it. will in time Show through and mar the polished. sur- face. Every Marion body is subjected to a rigid sand blast before being *painted—the sand blast. permanently. remoyes all rust and mill scale. The Marion® hot room process prevents - Fren m. Tene fro’ ng—the use of astic™ colors ‘allows. the: metal to expand. oF contract in hot or cold “weather.” fe fenders are double eauinelege and double baked at a temperature of 320°' The body is finishes ion Blue; wheels in all bright parts in ame! ay brass.* The uphol- § in selected full hides, of hand buffed black leather over genu- “ine curled hair and deep coil springs. ~The 1912 Marion i Saves Over all pre-existing American motor car values, In our new non- technical Advance Catalog we have aimed to’ tell briefly just what these yalues are. Send for the catalog or a distinct ad- call on our dealer in your locality; a demonstration of the Marion car will clinch the Marion argument and es- tablish a new criterion by which you will judge other values in the course of your prospecting for a motor car. The Marion created its own class and exclusively maintains it THE MARION SALES COMPANY, Indianapolis, Indiana