Life, 1913-06-05 · page 51 of 52
Life — June 5, 1913 — page 51: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **full-page advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes Gargoyle Mobiloil motor oil, made by the Vacuum Oil Company of Rochester, New York. The page explains why the company sells five different oil grades. The key argument uses a **sewing analogy**: just as thread must be the right thickness to pass through a needle's eye, motor oil must have the correct viscosity ("body") for each car's specific feed system. Too thin and it won't lubricate; too thick and it won't flow properly. The advertisement includes: - Five sample bottles showing viscosity differences - Technical justification for multiple grades - A detailed lubrication chart (visible but not fully legible) recommending specific grades for different car makes and years - Claims about the company's expertise supplying naval and military forces worldwide This reflects early 20th-century automotive marketing: as motor designs proliferated, standardized oil recommendations became a competitive selling point and professional service differentiator.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Why several grades? Here are five 4-ounce bottles. Each is filled with a different grade of Gargoyle Mobiloil. The grades all differ in thickness, or “body.” These oils meet the most severe tests that have ever been exacted from automobile lubricating oils. In sheer lubricating quality they stand alone. But that, of itself, is not sufficient. To properly reach the many friction points the oil's “body" must be suited to your feed system, To make this condition plainer, a homely illustration may be taken from the sewing room: ps NP ay ae A fine thread is often too light for the wear required. A heavy thread is often too thick to pass through the eye of the needle. Neither mects requirements. Pi it is with automobile lubricating oil. Quality equal, the heaviest-bodied oil will prove the most durable. But to be of service it must be able to properly pass through your lubricat- Ing system. The conditions to be met are com- plex. The problem is serious. Motors differ. Feed systems differ. Before the oil which best combines durability with ability to meet the feed requirements of your car can be determined, the construction of your ERE Ee motor must be known and carefully considered. We have undertaken this problem with the thoroughness that has estab- lished our standing in the general lubricating field. Every year we analyze the motor. construction of each of the season's models. Guided by this analysis and by practical experience we determine the correct grade of Gargoyle Mobil- oil for cach make of car. Our findings we list in a lubricating chart, printed in part on this page. The oil specified for your car in this chart is the scientifically-correct grade for your motor. The superior efficiency of these oils 1as been thoroughly proven by prac- tical tests. If you use oil of lower lubricating quality, or of less-correct “‘body" than that specified for your car, loss of power, unnecessary friction, and ultimate serious damage must result. A word about ourselves. Lubrication with us is both a business and a profession. Throughout the world the lubricating counsel of the Vacuum Oil Company is sought by engineers who must meet the most rigid efficiency standards. Our clientele includes thousands of manufacturing plants—located in prac tically every civilized country. We supply the floating armaments of the world's leading naval powers. We supply the aeroplane fleets of the leading military powers. Outside of the home field we supply over seventy foreign automobile manu- facturers. The lubricating chart on this page represents our professional advice. We suggest that you note down the grade specified for your car. In buying Gargoyle Mobiloil from dealers it is safest to order either a full barrel, half-barrel, or a sealed five- gallon or one-gallon can. Make certain that you see the name and our red Gargoyle on the container. A_ booklet, containing our complete lubricating chart, together with points on lubrication, will be mailed you on request The various grades, refined and fil- tered to remove free carbon, are: Gargoyle Mobiloil **A’’ Gargoyle Mobiloil “B"* Gargoyle Mobiloil “‘D"* Gargoyle Mobiloil “*E"" Gargoyle Mobiloil ‘*Arctic’* They are put up in 1 and 5 gallon sealed cans, in half-barrels and barrels. All are branded with the Gargoyle, which is our mark of manufacture. They can be secured from all reliable garages, automobile supply stores, and others who supply lubricants. VACUUM OIL Co., Rochester, U. S. A. BRANCHES: NOSTON NEW YORK 49 Federal St 2 Broadway CHICAGO PHILADELPIUA INDIANAPOLIS Fisher Widg. 4h & Chestnut Sts. lodiana Pyuuien Big Distributing warehouses in the principal cities of the world. A guide to correct Automobile lubrication Explanation: In the schedule, the letter opposit means “Gargoyle Mobiloil Arctic.” For all electric vehicles use Gargoyle Mobiloil A. the car indicates the grade of Gargoyle Mobitoil that should be used For example. “A” means “Gargoyle Mobiloil A. “Are.” The recommendations cover both pleasure and commercial vehicles unless otherwise noted. 5> opeaee Sdd>. >5>5>|Sammer y Springs Rist Kar 3 Coen Kiine Kar Roos Rone Vane Lecomotale Loner Mack Manco Marmon Matheson Manwell (2 eyt) Got) Go Mercedes ane, Kaighe x Minerva" Knsghi* Mitchell Moon Nevonal Oakland Ouiewotite Overand Packard Page Detroit Pickard ee night Pathtnder Peertess Pre Arrow = Gant Rope Harttord Premier Pulimen Mobiloil A grade for cach type of motor PU PG: > >>> a>>e> Oh>gn >. >a bo >a>>as>> > Orih Sh>ea>: FFE comicbooks.com