Life, 1912-01-04 · page 95 of 108
Life — January 4, 1912 — page 95: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **automobile advertising**, not political satire. The Hupp-Yeats Corporation showcases their new "Electric Coach" models—luxury cars marketed as representing "a revival of the golden age in coach-building." The satirical *angle* (implied by the text's tone) targets outdated carriage design. The ad argues that traditional high-slung coach bodies, once necessary for muddy medieval streets, persist absurdly on smooth modern city streets. The Hupp-Yeats's innovation is a **low-hung body**—easier to enter/exit and safer (with a lower center of gravity reducing tipping risk). The women shown appreciating ease of entry suggests the ad targets female buyers, noting practical benefits like avoiding "torn skirt-hems and sprained ankles." Three luxury models are advertised: "Royal" ($4,500), "Imperial" ($5,000), and "De Luxe Coupe" ($4,000)—premium pricing for the early automotive era. This is a straightforward commercial appeal dressed in gentle mockery of outdated design conventions.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
sights Tampa, ok *=HUPP-YE.ATS ELECTRIC COACH 3p? @istatem A! IVAL of the golden age in coach-building.” So writes a well-known critic in spe: the Hupp-Yeats. And in truth no monarch in state procession, no court y retinue, ever rode in greater luxury, greater elegance and greater ease than is exhibited in these late Hupp-Yeats mode-s. But the Hupp-Yeats design, low-hu fe and easy to enter or leave, represents the first adaptation of coach construction to modern needs. In mediaeval times coach bodies were swung high, because even in the large cities che streets were mere seas of mud often over the hubs. Modern coach-builders followed this design biindy. And on the smooth strects of a modern city it looked awkward and stiited was dangerous.y liable to s‘ud, and was difficult of ingress or egress. ts with its low-hung body, is the ideal twenticth-century town car, The low center of gravity ‘swerving or overturning a. practical impossibility, and it is as easy to enter or leave as to step from one room to another. Women with memorics of torn skirt-hems and sprained ankles will appreciate this feature = Limousine (shown above). A fve-passe: ont forward. The most a intme produced. Both mod a exce’ t offers a choice of any Imperial” this cho.ce is extended to include th> ric leathers “Royal” $4,500 “Imperial” $5,000 “De Lure’ Coupe (shown below.) As sunreme in the foi ct are th> other two models among limousines, Highest quality Moro-co leather or French tapestry upholsterin h y ed laces, Metal body parts and trimm ngs “De Luxe” Coupe, $4,000 HUPP CORPORATION, Manufacturers, 110 Lycaste St., Detroit, Mich. Rhatesee with Huge Motor Cat Gn, BRANCHES joston. S63 Denver, 1 Broadway; Deiro't, W: as Ci Minneapolis, 1334 N-collet Ay New lad toh a. 230 No, Trovd EC RED))/ ABI CMINITt A ACP io y