Life, 1913-03-06 · page 9 of 72
Life — March 6, 1913 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not a cartoon or satire, but rather a **straightforward product advertisement** for the Gray & Davis Electric Starter—an early automobile electric starting system. The page promotes a 6-volt electric starter as a major innovation in automotive convenience and safety. The advertisement includes three photographs: cars being started, the mechanical starter device itself, and a traffic scene illustrating how the starter prevents stalling dangers. Key claims include that the device "starts any car under any conditions" and that at the New York Automobile Show, 77% of exhibited cars used Gray & Davis equipment—presented as evidence of its superiority and market dominance. This reflects the early 1910s transition from hand-crank engine starting to electric starters—a genuine technological advancement, not satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
ould sol- that the he Fin vere phs, TER under any in zero is : E 5 I =I E I = =| = | = =| = E EI = [| =| [=I =| =I =| | =I Ee The Gray & Davis Electric Starter Accomplishes Wonderful Results This simple Starter does so many things, it adds so much to automobile pleasure, safety and convenience, that it becomes the one big, vital feature for you to demand—when purchasing an automobile. The Starting device can either make or mar the car. Therefore be sure that the Starter on your automobile will do the things a good Starter should do. Read the facts about the GRAY & DAVIS 6-volt ctric Starter—note what this Starter will do for you and realize also that over 40 manufacturers have a GRAY & DAVIS equipment for 1913—the highest possible tribute to GRAY & DAVIS QUALITY ! ‘WHAT IT DOES THE 6-VOLT BATTERY Starts any engine thousands of At the New York Automobile Some Starters require an 18-volt times in succession, Has sufficient battery, Others are extremely com power to actually propel a car a Show 20 out of 42 makes of plicated. The GRAY & DAVIS mile, Overcom “back firing” cars exhibited carried GRAY & 6-Volt Electric Starter is simpler and poor ignition. Turns the en- than a magneto, has no compli- gine fast enough to start instantly DAVIS equipment. At the Salon, cated controls and requires but a on magneto, Will run a car on sec- G-volt battery. That's the one big ond speed up a grade. Turns . * y Peavicer tye ol ects with Goat 77% of the cars were so equipped. thing to remember—only a 6-olt Absolutely positive in operation. battery. DNA ALVA ONAN UENAER: Remember—the Starter is the feature to consider. You must have positive operation, simpli ity and a design that has proven to be correct—demand and insist upon the GRAY & DAVIS 6-volt Electric Starter ! Write for Complete Information GRAY & DAVIS, Inc, 55 Lansdowne Street, | BOSTON, MASS. MANUFACTURERS OF AUTOMOBILE LAMPS, DYNAMOS AND ELECTRIC STARTERS Gam comicbooks.com