Life, 1914-05-28 · page 43 of 44
Life — May 28, 1914 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a political cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward **automobile tire advertisement** from United States Tire Company. The page shows two tire images demonstrating the "Nobby Tread" pattern (the raised bumps visible on the rubber). The advertisement targets early-automobile owners, listing major American cities where these tires can be observed "on every thoroughfare," using social proof: experienced motorists who own multiple cars allegedly prefer this brand. Key selling points emphasized: - **5,000-mile warranty** (notable for the era, when tire durability was a significant concern) - Anti-skid properties - Reliability through repeated customer purchases The warning at bottom—"DO NOT BE TALKED INTO A SUBSTITUTE"—suggests competitive tire market pressures. This reflects the early automotive era (likely 1910s-1920s) when tire quality directly affected vehicle safety and performance, making brand choice genuinely consequential for drivers.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Watch the “Nobby Treads” Fifth Avenue, New York On Michigan Avenue, Chicago Commonwealth Avenue, Boston On Woodward Avenue, Detroit Broad St, Philadelphia On Broadway, Denver Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington On Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco Euclid Avenue, Cleveland On leading streets of cities and towns everywhere On Every Thoroughfare see the tremendous number of “Nobby Tread” Tires on cars everywhere—you will find that men who have owned two, or three, or four cars—men who have experimented—use “Nobby Tread” Tires. If you are buying your first car this Spring, have it equipped with “Nobby Tread” Tires. Start right,—take the advice of these veteran motorists,—and save expensive, useless experimenting. “Nobby Tread’ Tires are now sold under our regular warranty—perfect workmanship and material—BUT any adjustments are on a basis of Thousands upon thousands of veteran motorists now use “Nobby Tread” Tires on their front and rear wheels through all seasons, because they are such phenomenal mileage tires and real anti- skid tires. United States Tire Company DO NOT BE TALKED INTO A SUBSTITUTE Your own dealer of any reliable dealer can supply you with” Nobby-Tread" Tires. If he has no stock on hand, insist that he get them for you at once—or go to another dealer Note this—Dealers who sell UNITED STATES TIRES sell the best of everything. comicbooks.com