Life, 1914-05-21 · page 35 of 52
Life — May 21, 1914 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire**, but a straightforward automobile advertisement from Life magazine (page 935). The Moon Motor Car Company advertises their "Light Weight Six-50" model, emphasizing its quality through detailed component analysis. The ad uses a "unit by unit" approach, listing prestigious parts manufacturers (Continental Motors, Delco ignition system, Warner transmission) to establish credibility—a common sales technique suggesting superiority through brand-name components. The left side displays endorsements from competing automotive products (Dower, Delco, Spencer, etc.), contextualizing the Moon within the competitive early automobile market. Pricing appears at bottom right ($2,150-$2,250), indicating this was a mid-range vehicle. The ad targets skeptical buyers by arguing a car should be judged by its parts, just as one judges individual mechanical components. This reflects early 1920s consumer consciousness about automobiles as assemblies of standardized, identifiable parts rather than mysterious machines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
SS 3 none wee ae MOON Light Weight] Unit by Analyse the Moon There are no better units—and as a car must be judged by its | parts, surely you couldn’t suggest a betterment of the car itself. Now, here are the main part features of the Moon Light Weight Six-50. The Continental Motor Com- any build the Motor. It is the Best they can build, their latest product and built especially for us. You know what “Continent- al” stands for. This motor is built to embody | the Delco Starting and Ignition | System. Can you suggest a | superior system. } We use the four speeds ahead | and Reverse Warner Transmis- | sion—can this unit be improved | upon? Note These Moon Features: Bach frost doen openine—ecraeely rw. Our own type of Dutch upholstery, “fits the back”. Disappearing seats. Meee sticgs ihe take the bumps oot of rede Moon springs they take out of r Yale lock on switch control, locking car against theft. Portable hehe Ledt-hand drive and center control. Instrument board under cowl, Special wind shield designed as part of cowl. ‘Clear running boards. Gasoline tank (with gauge) and tire carriers in reas. Low swung body. Note the Names of Parts Makers Continental Motor Mig Co makes the Brown-Lipe diferentials a 5 "e white ye ie k DAES citric Lighting crushing and igai. Papaen’e white bronze in cron Reyheld carburetors Send for handsome catalog of Light Weight Sixes—it is free. Collins curtains. Moon construction. Warner transmision. Streamline 45-6 967 Pasvenger fee. Complete ie $2,250 All cars folly The Moon Dealer in Your City will gladly dem- onstrate Moon quality. If there is no Moon man there, write us. MOON MOTOR CAR CO,, St. Louis J. W. MOON, President | comicbooks.com