Life, 1913-06-12 · page 31 of 44
Life — June 12, 1913 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile tire advertisement from an early 20th-century issue of *Life* magazine. The ad promotes Diamond (No-Clinch) Tires, emphasizing technical features like increased "air-room" for comfort and durability. Key selling points include "Vitalized Rubber" (a toughened rubber compound), a "Safety (Squeegee) Tread" for grip on wet roads, and a "No-Pinch Safety Flap" for inner tube protection. The large tire illustration on the left shows the product's distinctive diamond-pattern tread design. A cross-section diagram demonstrates internal construction. The appeal targets practical concerns of early automobile owners: tire durability, fuel efficiency, inner tube longevity, and road safety. The claim of "25,000 Diamond Dealers" suggests widespread availability. This represents typical early automotive advertising, using technical language to justify premium pricing during an era when tire quality significantly affected vehicle performance and reliability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“You get more air-room in Diantond (No-Cl linch) Tires -and its the extra air-room that does the work HE more air-room—the more resiliency, which in turn means more comfort for you and your passengers—more service from your tires. The secret of building a tire that lasts means building a tire that does the work easily—a tire that does not strain under road usage. This extra air-room is gained for you without lessening the thickness of the tread or weakening the side walls in any way. To stand the pull of the engine—to absorb the shocks of the road to travel farthest on the smallest quantity of gasoline—to make inner tubes last longer, were scientific tire problems. Our engineers have solved these problems jor you and all other tire bill payers by building Diamond (No-Clinch) Tires with extra air-room—in a word—the ideal, perfectly constructed tire you have been “enn Vitalized Rubber calls a halt on ‘‘Short Mileage”’ After countless laboratory tests and experiments, our chemists have discovered a process to scientifically toughen pure rubber so that it will give you the mileage you pay for. Diamond (No-Clinch) Tires made of Vitalized Rubber are tough and flint-like enough to fight the road, ela enough to absorb shocks, thus preventing rim troubles and breaking above the bead. Add to this high grade workmanship, nothing inferior in con- struction or fabric—Perfect 3-Point Rim Contact—the No-Pinch Safety Flap for inner tube protection—and you have the best tire money can buy. Cross Section Diamond Safety Tread Tire Safety (Squeegee) Tread an additional Diamond advantage Diamond Safety Tread Tires obey your will. No matter how slippery and treacherous the paving, they grip and hold. You drive with safety and you drive with pleasure with Diamond Safety (Squeegee) Tires on your cars. And that’s not all—there's real economy in Diamond Safety Tread Tires. The Safety Tread is added to the regular tread—the extra mileage makes the safety cost you nothing. So this time buy Diamond Vitalized Rubber Tires —you can get them to fit your rims at any of the > 25,000 Diamond Dealers always at your Service comicbooks.com