Life — September 11, 1913 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement for the 1914 Chalmers "Six" automobile, published in *Life* magazine. The page features a sketch of the car with multiple well-dressed passengers and emphasizes engineering features like the silent motor, electric starter, and durable Tungsten steel construction. The text celebrates the vehicle as "The Master Motor of Them All," highlighting practical innovations valuable to early 20th-century drivers: reliability, quietness, and electric starting (which eliminated dangerous hand-cranking). The "$2175" price and models listed (Roadster, Touring, Six Passenger, etc.) reflect the luxury automobile market of 1914. This represents mainstream automotive advertising, not editorial content or satire.