Life, 1915-10-07 · page 52 of 52
Life — October 7, 1915 — page 52: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily a **commercial advertisement**, not political satire. It announces the merger of Baker Electric and Rauch & Lang electric automobile companies. The image depicts a fashionably dressed woman in an elegant gown admiring a Baker electric automobile—a luxury vehicle. The "joke" is genteel rather than satirical: the woman's refined appearance mirrors the cars' promised elegance and "perfection of mechanical detail." **Historical context**: Electric cars were premium products for wealthy consumers in 1915, marketed as sophisticated and reliable. The advertisement emphasizes that the merger enables superior manufacturing and service. The stylized illustration matches Life magazine's typical aesthetic of the era—elegant, art deco-influenced imagery aimed at affluent readers. No political content or recognizable caricatures appear here; this is straightforward period advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Announcing The Baker R&L Company's Latest Models “THESE electrics possess, in the utmost, the characteristic Baker R & L qualities of excellence— elegance — refinement — perfection of mechanical detail. The merger—The Baker R&L Company —mekes possible building these latest models under ideal conditions, presenting them more satisfactorily and offering « more complete service than has been here: tofore possible. The line consists of the improved “DA” Baker Coupe (the greatest light weight electric ever built), and the superelegant Rauch & Lang Broughams, Coaches and Roadsters. THE BAKER R & LCOMPANY CLEVELAND, OHIO comicbooks.com