Life, 1913-03-13 · page 27 of 44
Life — March 13, 1913 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a straightforward **product advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Peerless Motor trucks manufactured in Cleveland, Ohio. The ad claims that Wells Fargo Express Company—a major, prestigious shipping firm—selected five Peerless trucks after months of investigation, implying rigorous testing validated the product's quality. The headline "Peerless Trucks Are Our Best Salesmen" suggests the trucks' proven performance serves as their own marketing. The illustration shows a progression of trucks, likely representing different models or the fleet in use. For modern readers: This represents early 20th-century industrial advertising, where endorsements from established companies like Wells Fargo carried significant weight. The emphasis on "investigation" and "severest" testing reflects contemporary concerns about vehicle reliability when automotive technology was still developing. The ad appears in *Life* magazine's advertising section.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Are Our Best Salesmen F IVE Peerless Trucks were speci- : fied on an order for seven 3-ton P trucks recently placed by The Wells Fargo Express Company after months of investigation. Consistent construction and per- sistent performance are the qual- ities that enable Peerless Trucks to meet the severest investigation with credit. Dealers in all prominent cities The Peerless Motor Car Company Cleveland,Ohio . 3 Makers also of Peerless Passenger Cars __———__—_——} 59 comicbooks.com