Life, 1913-12-04 · page 23 of 112
Life — December 4, 1913 — page 23: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **advertising, not satire**—a full-page promotion for the Ohio Electric automobile in *Life* magazine (page 963). The ad claims that Ohio Electric has been copied by competitors. It boasts of two innovative features introduced two years prior: the "double drive" and "magnetic control" system. The company argues that nearly every other electric car manufacturer has since attempted to imitate these patented technologies. The headline "IMITATED!" frames this as proof of Ohio Electric's superiority and originality. The ad emphasizes that their magnetic brake system allows the driver to control all car operations from a single button—presented as uniquely advanced. For modern readers: this reflects the early electric vehicle market (pre-1920s), when electric cars were luxury items competing with gasoline vehicles. The ad's boastful tone about imitation suggests intense competition and patent disputes were common in nascent automotive technology.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Air on er, N.Y, IMITATED! Copied everywhere, duplicated nowhere—Ohio Electric operating features and beauty of design. HE proof? Compare the electric-car ad- vertising of any time within the last two years, and today. Then, the Ohio alone was featuring the dou- ble drive—which we introduced two years ago, and patented. Today, nearly every maker is struggling to get into line with some sort of double-drive arrangement. Then, we were featuring the magnetic con- trol—also original with us. Since, all have or are attempting to change their control. Model 40- ger brougham But these are only two out of many exclusive Ohio features. The Ohio Electric magnetic control- magnetic brake—makes it the most handled car in the world. Think of governing every operation of the car from a small disc— of applying the brake by pressure of a button. And_ these features, in our patented double drive, y simple operating combination attainable in no other car. Literature on request The Ohio Electric Car Company, 1505 W. Bancroft St., Toledo Gibson Electrics, Ltd. Ontario Distributors Toronto Canada OHIO THE ENVIED ELECTRIC