Life, 1913-09-18 · page 44 of 44
Life — September 18, 1913 — page 44: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not satire or political commentary**—it's a straightforward advertisement for Baker electric automobiles, published in *Life* magazine on September 18, 1913. The image shows a showroom scene with well-dressed men in suits and hats examining a Baker electric vehicle through a storefront window. The advertisement emphasizes the car's luxury, simplicity of design, reliability, and electrical efficiency. The tagline "Baker Service Follows Every Baker" promises customer support. This represents the early automotive era when electric vehicles competed with gasoline cars; Baker was a legitimate Cleveland, Ohio manufacturer of electric automobiles that operated until 1916. For modern readers: this reflects a time when electric cars were considered upscale, practical alternatives to gas-powered vehicles—a surprisingly parallel situation to today's electric vehicle market.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
HE. September 18, 1913 A luxurious motor car refined to the point of utmost simplicity. Free from fads or frills of construction which interfere with unfailing operation, A highly efficient electric, backed by fifteen years of sound engineering. “Baker Service Follows Every Baker” THE BAKER MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY, CLEVELAND, OHIO Canada: ‘The Baker Motor Vehicle Company of Canada, Ltd., Walkerville, Ont. comicbooks.com |