Life, 1913-01-09 · page 98 of 100
Life — January 9, 1913 — page 98: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a straightforward **automobile advertisement** from Life magazine's pages. The White Company is promoting their "White Six" luxury car, emphasizing three technical innovations: 1. **Left-side drive** — a relatively new feature at the time, positioning the driver on the left rather than right 2. **Electrical starting and lighting system** — a major advancement over hand-cranking engines 3. **Vertical integration** — The White Company manufactured their own electrical system rather than buying from suppliers The page showcases a photograph of the vehicle and highlights the company's claim to be industry-first in these features. For a modern reader: this represents early automotive advertising targeting wealthy buyers by emphasizing engineering superiority and cutting-edge technology — similar to how luxury car brands today advertise innovations like electric powertrains or autonomous features. The ornate decorative border was typical of early 20th-century magazine design.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
DO M00) GA SA SE eee THE WHITE SIX Electrically Started and Lighted—Left Side Drive The purchaser of a high-priced car has the right to expect superior design and equipment as well as superior material and workmanship. The White was the first Six to introduce left-side drive, and today presents this logical method of control in its most desirable form—with right hand-operation of the gear-lever. The White was the first Six to incorporate in its equipment an electrical starting and lighting system. The White Elec- trical System is designed and built by The White Company, in The White Factory, especially for White Cars. The White is the only Six today equipped with an electrical system that is manufactured by an automobile company especially for its own product. Gasoline Motor Cars, Trucks and Taxicabs comicbooks.com