Life, 1914-04-16 · page 6 of 44
Life — April 16, 1914 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
# Analysis This is **not a cartoon or satire page**—it is a straightforward automobile advertisement for the Chandler Motor Car Company, based in Cleveland, Ohio. The ad promotes the Chandler Light Weight Six automobile, priced at $1,785. It's a genuine sales pitch emphasizing the car's value by claiming it's the only six-cylinder vehicle under $2,000 equipped with features (Bosch magneto, electric starter/generator, ball bearings, rear gasoline tank) typically found only on expensive models from competitors like Packard, Peerless, Pierce-Arrow, and Locomotile. The image shows the vehicle in side profile. The copy includes performance specs (2,285 lbs, 16 miles per gallon) and body type options. This represents early-1910s automotive marketing positioning an affordable six-cylinder as a luxury alternative.