Life, 1912-08-01 · page 27 of 40
Life — August 1, 1912 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **automobile advertisement**, not political satire. It announces six new Abbott-Detroit car models for 1913, priced $1,700–$3,050. The illustration shows a stylish open-air automobile with well-dressed passengers and onlookers in an urban setting, typical marketing imagery of the era. The ad emphasizes modern features: an "electric self-starter" (then a significant innovation), electric lighting, demountable rims, and quality construction details. The text emphasizes this is the "first advertisement" in a serialized campaign appearing across major publications (Saturday Evening Post, Collier's, Life, Literary Digest). The company promotes these as "THE BEST CARS IN THE WORLD AT THE PRICE." There is **no satirical content or political commentary** on this page—it's straightforward early automotive advertising targeting affluent consumers interested in the latest mechanical innovations.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
1913—ANNOUNCEMENT—1913 IX NEW STYLES, ranging in price from $1700 to $3050, all well .eqiipped, compose the Abbott-Detroit line for 1913. Two of these models, the 34-40 Feore-Door Roadster _and_ the 34-40 5-Passenger. Fore-Door Touring Car, have a 116" wheel- base, while the other four models, the 44-50 Demi-Tonneau, the 44-50 7-Passenger »Fore-Door Touring Car, the44-50Battleship Roadster and the 44-50 , Limousine, are built upon a 121° wheelbase chassis. Abbott-Detroit advertising for 1913 will be printed in SERIAL form. Thts ts te first advertisement. Number 2 will appear in the Saturday Evening Post, Aug. 17th; Collier's, August 17th; Life, Aug. 22nd; Literary Digest, Aug. 24th. THE ABBOTT-DETROIT ELECTRIC SELF- STARTER 1913 Abbott-Detroit cars are equipped with our ined electric own specially designed, self-contal sel is ts not an ex complete— Visit our plained. rt of the regular equipment. pesiment—not an attempted combination of i*nition lighting and starting, but an electric self-starter—a real one —a dependable one—bullt as a part of the en- gine—the first reliable one ever placed on a car— les rooms and have its operation ex- large Artillery Wheels, made of selected hickory; Sp-cial S.cels: heavy duty Forgings, double heat treated; ven- tilated fore-door Bodies; Inside Con- trol; Ten-inch Upholstering; twenty- four painting operations on bodies. Equipmeat includes black enamel nickel trimned Electric Headlights; electric Side and Tail Lamps fitted with Tung- sten globes; very complete Electric Lighting System with Dynamo; large capacity Lighting Battery; Extens Auxiliary Light; Dash Light; Splitdorf Dual Ignition System; specially de- signed self-contained Electric _ Self- Starter; Booth Demountable complete set of Tools; Tire Re- The motors, of the latest Continental, long-stroke type, have enclosed valvesand many other desirable features; the 34-40 motors are 4%" borex 54” stroke, while those of the 44-59are 4}3"x 54”. The Tires—Goodyear No-Rim-Cut— are mounted on Booth Demountable with 34” x 4” tires, while the 44-50 models have 36” x 414” with the exces = tion of the Battleship Roadster, which is fitted with 35” x 414” all around. All of the models have an underslung Spring construction which lowers the center of gravity and in addition to allowing the use of a very pleasing de- sign of body tends to climinate side- swaving and excessive skidding, making it safer to drive the cars at high speed. ae Other important features to which your special attention is called are: Dry Plate, Multiple Disc Clutches; Strong, compact nickel steel Transmi ns; enclosed Unit Power Plants; full floating type Rear Axles of nickel steel construc- tion, the housings of which are so de- signed as to form complete double tr of great strength and extreme rigi Timken Roller and imported Schafer an- nular Bearings; oil tempered Springs; 44-50 Se: ese Limousine, 121” wheel 34-40 Fe ‘Door Roadster, 116” wheel- Rims—the 34-40 models being equipped hue = ee ee > $1,700 (34-40 Five-P az ‘Door Tour- ing Cary 116" wheelsace = = $1,700 44-59 Five-Passen: Tore-Door Demi- (Cnneaust2i' whens = es $1,975, 44-50 Seven - Pi Fore - Doo: Waring Car, 12t whecibare =. $2,000 The C_r Suow. Above {4-50 Battleship Roadster, 1217 wheel $2,150 - suas ees $3,050 Abbott “Detroit ABBOTT MOTOR COMPANY Built for Permanence and Guaranteed pair Outfit; Jac st. Tire Irons; Robe Rail; Tool Box and Foot The Battleship Roadster has in addition, an extra equip- ment of two spare tires and tire trunk, Auxiliary seats are a part of the regular equipment of the 44-50 Fore-Door Tour- ing Car. Bodies finished in any combiaation of three colors, running gear and standard finish. All prices F. O. B. Factory. After a careful consideration of these exceptional features and a critical ex- J amination of these cars themselves, we think that you will agree with us that Abbott -Detroit cars for 1913 are THE BEST CARS IN THE WORLD AT THE PRICE. Send for Beautiful Art Catalog 615 Waterloo Street, Del for Life ag ca ae a I pS eae as fe comicbooks.com