Life, 1912-03-07 · page 43 of 60
Life — March 7, 1912 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **automobile advertising**, not political satire. The Speedwell Motor Car Company uses this Life magazine page to market their "Tourist" model at $2,700 (fully equipped). The ad's argument targets early-1900s car buyers concerned with value: rather than judging automobiles by mechanical specifications alone, Speedwell claims the "real worth" lies in service longevity, riding comfort, and appearance—essentially, quality and satisfaction. This was a common luxury-car marketing strategy of the era, positioning the brand against cheaper competitors on grounds of distinction rather than price. The illustration shows a touring car (open-air passenger vehicle) in a pastoral landscape, a typical period aesthetic suggesting leisure and progress. The specifications listed (self-starter, cape top, demountable rims, tool kit) reflect features that were then novel or desirable. There is no discernible political cartoon, caricature, or satire present on this page—it's straightforward commercial advertising in a magazine that mixed editorial content with ads.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SPEEDWELL WORTH HE actual worth of a motor car cannot be measured by mechanical details or lineal specifications—so much for so much money. The character and length of the service, the riding comfort, the distinguished appearance that is, the actual quality and satisfaction em- bodied in a motor car—these are the factors that count. Measured on this real scale of worth, Speedwell Motor Cars have no superior. Literature upon request. THE SPEEDWELL Motor Car Co. 390 ESSEX AVE., DAYTON, O. ae ‘Speedwell Tourist, $2700, fully equipped 505 * Standard Equip- ment: Self-starter, Full cape top and boot, Glass front, Demountable rims, Gas tank and full lamp equipment Tool kit, Tire kit, Etc., etc. One standard chas- sis—4q cylinder, 50H.P.; * 123 inch wheelbase; 36 inch wheels. * Equipment as given ap- plies to all models except road sters and limousine, which vary slightly in their standard equipment,