Life — June 26, 1913 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is primarily an **advertisement**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes the Garford automobile, manufactured in Elyria, Ohio, priced at $2,750. The illustration depicts a well-dressed couple in an early motorcar being observed by pedestrians—a common advertising trope showing the vehicle as an object of admiration and modern achievement. The text emphasizes the Garford's practicality: it claims to be "the most widely discussed and most highly projected Six in America" while costing roughly half the price of comparable luxury vehicles. The ad highlights contemporary features: electric starter, electric lights, three-speed transmission, and left-hand drive—innovations notable for the pre-WWI automotive market. This represents typical early-1900s automotive advertising targeting middle-to-upper-class buyers seeking modern conveniences and status symbols.