Life, 1914-10-08 · page 6 of 44
Life — October 8, 1914 — page 6: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is **not a cartoon or satire** — it's a straightforward advertisement for the Baker Electric automobile, published in *Life* magazine (page 610). The ad promotes the "new light Baker Electric," emphasizing its advantages: it weighs half a ton less than competing electrics, requires minimal steering effort, achieves 23 miles per hour, and uses only 12 battery cells versus competitors' 40-42. The ad highlights practical benefits like reduced tire wear and lower maintenance costs. The seating arrangement is marketed as innovative — convertible from four-passenger to two or three-passenger configurations by folding front seats, addressing actual driving patterns of the era. This represents early automotive advertising targeting practical, efficiency-conscious buyers before internal combustion engines dominated the market. Electric vehicles were a viable transportation option in this period.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
610 “LIFE: HAHN THE NEW LIGHT BAKER ELECTRIC Weighs a Full Half Ton dys’ Than Many Other Electrics Easy Steering: High Speed and Mileage: Reduced Upkeep Cost: Steering is nd effort. Imagine the relief in being rid of 1000 pounds when driv- ing over a rough pavement through a jam of traffic. And speed! 23 miles per hour—probably the greatest ever built into an electric coupe. Better speed and just as good mileage with 32 cells of battery as heavier electrics with 40 to 42 cells—weight is the greatest handicap to both speed and mileage. Much lower cost of upkeep—weight is the most expensive thing about a motor car; it wears out tires, consumes power, grinds out bearings, increases repair bills. Longer life of car—excess weight pounds itself to pieces. Rides with unusual comfort— light body hung low on long chassis equipped in the rear with Cantilever springs. Light, graceful exterior impossible with heavy bulky cars. Unique Seating Arrangement: 98 per cent of the time electrics carry four passengers and under. 71 per cent of the time, one or two passengers. The new light Baker is designed to meet these actual conditions. It is a roomy four-passenger Coupe, instantly convert- ible into a two or a three-passenger car merely by folding back the front seats (new disappearing type)-out of sight and out of the way. Think of the pleas- ure of riding without empty front seats. Advanced Equipment: .Framcless windows throughout; front window drops way down. Invisible drip moulding; ‘fixed rain vi Mechanical window lifts; automatic circuit breaker; automatic door switch for interior lighting; combination eight-day clock and odometer. Worm drive axle; crown metal fenders. Exquisitely rich interior upholstered with exclusive imported fabrics in beautiful Poiret colorings. From every standpoint this new light Coupe ts the finest Baker Electric ever made. COMPLETE STORY WITH PHOTOGRAPHS MAILED ON REQUEST THE BAKER MOTOR VEHICLE COMPANY, CLEVELAND Fice-passenger Double Drive Broughams, Roadsters—Complete Line of Commercial Vehicles Ranging from 1000 Pounds to Fise Tons micbooks.com eee ee TT co