Life, 1912-11-07 · page 3 of 60
Life — November 7, 1912 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a straightforward **advertisement** for the Gray & Davis Electric Starter, published in Life magazine around 1913. The ad promotes an automotive innovation: an electric starter motor that eliminates hand-cranking cars. The "three big features" highlighted are positive operation, remarkable power, and a 6-volt battery system. The appeal emphasizes **convenience and safety** — particularly for women drivers, who found hand-cranking difficult and dangerous. The ad stresses how the electric starter represents modern automotive progress and is becoming standard equipment on "1913 Peerless Cars." The illustration shows a contemporary automobile with the starter mechanism visible. This is **product advertising**, not political or social satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Positive Operation |9| Remarkable Power 6-Volt Battery Will spin heaviest type of Six-cylinder car in zero / * A : weather or under most ad- turn a Six-cylinder car fo Will propel a car 2 milesor j@) A small Six-volt battery the same as used for ignition. Charged automatically by verse conditions. one hour and a half. Dynamo. VIVID ITT 7 The positive operation, remarkable power and unusual efficiency of the Gray & Davis Starter are features of so much importance that you cannot afford to disregard this Starter when purchasing an automobile. When you buy YOUR new car, insist upon getting the Gray & Davis Electric Starter—demand it as equipment. Realize how much it will add to your convenience, comfort, pleasure and safety. Instant Positive Operation Unusual Simplicity For instance. You sit in your seat, press a pedal and away goes the car. There is no expense or annoyance. The dynamo automatically charges the battery without ; pitas i i i cost. Exceptional power gives you instant, positive opera- switch, This Starter is the result of 12 years’ experience tion. Makes every automobile an ideal car for a lady to in the design and construction of electrical motors. drive. oe oe Suppose your car is stalled in traffic-congested streets Gray & Davis Electric Starter represents one of the or at a crossing? You press the pedal and the Gray & great steps forward in the perfection of the modern auto- It isa necessary part of the up-to-date car. he Davis Electric Starter itse/f will propel the car until the mobile : Pope Manufacturing Company says:—"Gray & Davis engine picks up, without you having to touch cither Consider the safety of this feature. Electric Starter is the best to be had regardless of price.” or throttle—it will propel the car 2 miles if nece Demand the Gray & Davis Electric Starter on the Car You Buy! The Gray & Davis Electric Starter is very simple. There are no complicated electrical controls, only a simple 5 are equipped with the Gray & ectric Starter, Electric Lamps, Lighting Dynamo or all three in combination. 1913 Peerless Cars Carry Complete Gray & Davis Equipment. Write for complete information regarding the Gray & Davis Electric Starter. GRAY & DAVIS, Inc, 55 Lansdowne St., BOSTON, MASS. Manufacturers of Automobile Lamps, Dynamos and Electric Starters. comicbooks.com