Life, 1914-10-08 · page 43 of 44
Life — October 8, 1914 — page 43: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **tire company advertisement**, not a political cartoon or satire. It appears in *Life* magazine (likely early 20th century) promoting "Nobby Tread" tires made by United States Tire Company. The page uses marketing rhetoric common to the era: claims of superior durability ("5,000 Miles" warranty), safety benefits ("90% less" punctures), and cost-effectiveness ("lowest cost per mile"). The two tire images showcase the product's tread design. The appeal targets "serious automobile owners" and "veteran motorists," positioning the brand as the choice of experienced, practical drivers who understand value over initial price. There is no satirical content or political commentary—this is straightforward commercial advertising designed to convince consumers that Nobby Tread tires deliver the best return on investment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“CI PE - Nobby Reg. U. S. Pat. Office Cheapest Tire Service Your tires cost you just exactly what they cost you per mile of wear. The first cost of a tire is a reliable guide only when it adds up enough real mileage wear in the end. Find out the exact cost of your tire service, and then you will know the truth about real tire economy. Today the majority of serious automobile owners understand this—that is why they are buying “Nobby Treads”—that is why “Nobby Treads” are called Business Basis Tires And remember this—investigations prove that with “Nobby Tread” Tires punctures are 90% less than with the average tire. Today “Nobby Tread” Tires are the largest selling high-grade anti-skid tires in the world. Based upon their remarkable mileage records ‘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 give real anti-skid protection and the lowest cost = Sekt proccon aS pet mile. United States Tire Company NOTE THIS—Dealers who sell UNITED STATES TIRES sell the best of everything. comicbooks.com