Life, 1913-05-01 · page 8 of 48
Life — May 1, 1913 — page 8: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire page** — it's a **full-page advertisement** for the Gray & Davis Electric Starter, a car component manufacturer based in Boston. The ad targets automobile buyers of the era (likely 1910s-1920s) by arguing that the electric starter is a crucial safety feature to investigate before purchase. It emphasizes the starter's reliability and simplicity, claims 29 car manufacturers use it, and urges consumers to "demand this starter on the car you buy." The small technical illustration shows the mechanical starter mechanism. The text uses persuasive marketing language typical of the period—emphasizing efficiency, safety, and engineering superiority—rather than satire or political commentary.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
If You're Guleg To Buy An Automobile — Get posted on Starters—get all the facts. Compare this Starter with all others—it is only in this way that you can be sure which is best. Select the Starter as CAREFULLY as the car because the Starter may either make or mar your automobile investment. Remember that upon the Starter depends safety, con- venience and efficiency. We can’t make this statement foo strong—the Starter is the great big, vital factor for you to consider and the GRAY & DAVIS Starter is the Starter you want. You Have 29 Different Makes of Cars Why the Starter Should be Carefully to Select From Investigated If you get into your car and the Starter is not efficient—your trip gets a setback before you leave your garage. Your pleasure is spoiled at the beginning. If the Starter will not work, you cannot enjoy the fun of motor- ing. A good Starter must be simple, economi- cal, light in weight, BACKED by experi- ence, electrical knowledge and the very best materials. This is undeniable evidence regarding the re- markable efficiency of the GRAY & DAVIS Electric Starter. In other words, 29 manu- facturers and 29 groups of automobile engineers have selected the GRAY & DAVIS Starter in preference to any other—not because of “‘price’’ —not because of “‘sentiment,’’ but because THIS Starter has proven its reliability and efficiency beyond the shadow of a doubt. GRAY & DAVIS ELECTRIC STARTER What this Starter Does Starts heaviest’ engine thousands of times in ession. Turns any engine easily, quickly, quietly and without effort. Starts the car under any con- ditions even in zero weat Propels a car out of danger if engine is stalled. Nothing complicated—extremely sim- ple—no multiplicity of controls. Turns engine fast enough to fire on magneto. Will propel a car up 7% grade on second speed. Simplicity a Big Factor Keep in mind that simplicity is a very important point_in automobile clec- trical devices. The GRAY & DAVIS Starter is remarkably simple—that is one of the big reasons why it is so successful. Then, there is the small 6-volt battery, just the same as you've always used for ignition—remember this feature when selecting the Starter and the car. DEMAND THIS STARTER ON THE CAR YOU BUY We shall be pleased to forward Catalogue and further information GRAY & DAVIS, Inc., 55 Lansdowne St., BOSTON, MASS. Manufacturers of Automobile Lamps, Dynamos and Electric Starters PTEECCACFLEOEEREET TORT EAEEAT comicbooks.com