Life, 1915-06-17 · page 33 of 52
Life — June 17, 1915 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **Kelly-Springfield Tire Company advertisement**, not political satire. The illustration shows a well-dressed man with an umbrella standing before parked automobiles, establishing an upscale consumer context. The ad's argument is paradoxical: it acknowledges that machine-made products (tires, clothing, shoes) are cheaper than hand-made equivalents, *but* claims Kelly-Springfield tires are superior *because* they're hand-made. The copywriter argues that genuine quality requires slow, careful hand-craftsmanship for "maximum durability and wear"—not cost savings. This reflects early 20th-century manufacturing debates: industrial production promised affordability but faced consumer skepticism about quality. The ad positions Kelly-Springfield as offering premium hand-crafted goods despite mass-manufacturing competition, appealing to consumers willing to pay more for durability and reliability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
you can buy a machine-made automobile tire Of COUT SE — cheaper than the hand-made Kellly-Sprimgfielld So, too, you can buy ready-made, machine-stitched clothing cheaper than the hand-sewn custom garment. Or machine-made shoes cheaper than the smarter and more durable hand-made patterns. Like other articles of genuine quality, Kelly-Springfield tires are made slowly and carefully by hand because that is the one best way to give them maximum durability and wear. For the best results Kelly-Springfield hand-made tubes should be used with Kelly-Springfield tires. ‘Their use in combination prevents needless punctures due to chafed, ill-fitting tubes. Send to 229 West 57th Street, New York City, for ‘‘Documents in Evidence,’* which tells the experience of others Kelly-Springfield Tire Company Akron, Ohio Branches in all Principal Cities comicbooks.com