Life, 1912-11-21 · page 27 of 44
Life — November 21, 1912 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily an **automobile advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes Abbott-Detroit motor cars, emphasizing their modern control systems and electrical features—the selling points of 1910s-era automobiles. The illustration shows a steering wheel and dashboard with labeled components. The accompanying text describes innovations: an electric self-starter (eliminating hand-cranking), electric lighting, an ammeter, speedometer, and clock. These were cutting-edge features positioning Abbott-Detroit as a technologically advanced manufacturer. The satire is gentle: the epigraph quotes an organizational maxim about judging by results rather than claims—a subtle boast that Abbott-Detroit's innovations speak for themselves. The detailed technical descriptions aim to convince readers of the car's superiority through substance rather than mere advertising hype. This reflects early 20th-century industrial competition, where American automakers marketed technological advancement to affluent buyers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
fe [ees Sat EE KEY TO DASH BOARD Electric Lighting Electric Self-Starter Standard Equipment System 2s The Gontrol STEERING GEAR. 1, Clock: 2, Speedometer : 3, Carburetor Adjustment: meter: 5, Jgnition Sicitch:" 6. Lighting Swuteh: 7, Dash Light: &, Carburetor ““Flooder"? 9. Sey-Starter Button: 19, Clutch Pedal: 11, Brake Pedat: 12. Accelerator: 13, Mufier Cut- out: #4, Controt Lever: 13, Urake Lever; 10, Steering Column: 77, Dash Ventilator: 18, Horn 4 Am mand of the day is that an organi- zation shall be judged by its product and not by whet it claims for itself.” Lae oe ‘The steering wheel, inches in diameter and ma of aluminum fitted ,with a corrugated ebony ‘rim, Is placed at just the right afl Abvott-Detrott advertising for 1713 wi be printed tn sertal om And height for comfortable Thts ts the pth of the sertes, The stzth teill appear in the ne Saturday Evening Post, Dee. Slat: Collier's, Dee. Hk: Life. Ee cases ths eteee tog —t Fae motor cars have more attractive and utilitarian dash boards than the new Abbott-Detroit models, Every convenience necessary for the complete control of the car Isat hand, Nothing ts left out There is even an electric light for illuminating the dash board at night. THE ELECTRIC SELF-STARTER. ‘The Abbott-Detrolt electric self= starter consists of an electric motor bullt In the side of the erank ease and con- nected with the crank shaft through an Independent train of gears enclosed in timing gear compartment of crank case. Uhls construction insuring perfect lubri- eatton, It controlled by means of a button e tte simple, positive Jaidy oF child can oper= In 01 and reli ate tt, A$ Soon as the gasoline motor starts, an over running roller clutch releases these gears and they remain idle while the gasoline motor 1s running. ‘This self-starter Is not an expert- ment. not an attempted combination of ignition, lighting and startin real, dependable se ay a part of the engine and tacluded In the regular equipment. Controt and Call at one of our sales rooms and Emergency Brake ask to have Its operation explained. ELECTRIC LIGHTING SYSTEM. ‘The electric lighting system ts equally complete. ‘The current 1s generated by means of a dynamo, operated from the engine, and a large capacity lighting battery 16 provided which takes care of the lights when the motor Is standing spit 8 the lampa except the tall Hight from the driver's seat, The tail light is electrically lighted and Is controlled by tndependent awiteh Integral with I Dec, 20th; Literary Digest. Dee. 7. Coples of prettous advertisements sent on request, An ammeter shows at all times the amount of electric cur- rent produced and used. An automatic switch prevents the discharge of the battery through the dynamo when the engine ts idie. ‘Twolarge black enameled, nickel trimmed electric head Hants, two electric side and tall lamps, fitted with Tung- sten globes, an extension ausillary lane which can be used for examining the motor or Intertor of the car, a h Mahe for lighting the speedometer, clock, ammeter and other fittings on the dash and foot board, complete the electrical equipment. CLOCK AND SPEEDOMETER SET. Mounted securely on the extreme left hand side of the dash 1s a clock and speedometer get which accurately Indicates time, speed and total mileage covered. To the right of this, on the other side of the ammeter, Is n carburetor adjustment device. In addition to the starting button, the foot board carries the muffler cut-out and accelerator throttle pedal. Two large pedals, one operating the clutch and the other the service brakes, are located on either side of the steering column, EXTRA STRONG BRAKES. Internal expanding and external contracting brakes, with 16°x2"" drums on the 44-50 and 14"x2"* on the 34~40: lined with a friction proof material, are mounted on the rear hubs. ‘The brake shoes are made of cast iron and substantially connected to the suppor that they will sorb and dissipate hes thus being able to withstand and tear tncident to mount: Abbott Detroit Built_ for Permanence and Guaranteed for Life ly hard wear gear has been ‘so accurately designed that the 34-40 models will turn around in a circle 39 feet In dia- meter and the 44-S0 In # 42-foot circle. Control and emergency brake levers are within easy reach of the right hand and are Inside the body ‘The spark and throttle le mounted on sectors on t steering column, and can be Ipulated without taking the hands off the steering wheel. ‘Thus you will eco that cvery movement of the car, its speed. direction, motor operatior starting. stopping, sigoall everything can be control led from the driver's seat with ease and dispatch. Let our dealers show you these cars, of write for advance catalog. Models and Prices 34-40 Fore-Door Roadster, 116-Inch wheel base 34-40 5-Pansenger, Fore-Door Touring wheel base... 44-50 5-Passenger, Fore-Door Demi Inch wheel base......... 4 wheel base “4 wheel base. ABBOTT MOTOR COMPANY Detroit, Michigan 615 Waterloo Street Front wheel and steering anuct le turning ability, Tonneau, 121- 7-Passenger, Fore-Door Touring C 60 44-50 Battleship Roadster, 121-inch wheel base 80 7-Passenger, Fore-Door Limousine, 121-Ineb, showing sharp End of rear azle, showing understung springs and external and ‘trternal hud drake system. $1700 116-Ineh . $1700 $1975 121-tneh $2000 $2180 ‘$3080 comicbooks.com