Life, 1916-01-06 · page 37 of 48
Life — January 6, 1916 — page 37: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily **advertising**, not satire or political commentary. It promotes New Departure ball bearings for automobiles, presented as a dialogue between an engineer and manufacturer at an Automobile Show. The framing device uses four illustrated male figures (likely representing automobile industry figures, though none are identified by name) to lend credibility to the pitch. The engineer character explains that ball bearings reduce friction, improve efficiency, and lower operating costs—key selling points for early automotive buyers. The "New Departure" brand emphasizes precision manufacturing (12,000 different gauges used) and quality control as competitive advantages. Two bearing designs are illustrated: a "Double Row Type" and "Single Row Type," each suited to different load requirements. For modern readers: this represents early 1900s automotive advertising strategy—using technical expertise and expert testimony to convince consumers that a seemingly invisible component (ball bearings) justifies choosing one manufacturer over competitors. The appeal is to rational calculation rather than emotion.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
at the Automobile Show will want to know about the Bearings that are in the cars,” said the engineer to the automobile manufacturer. “This is an important question — they should know. “The Ball type of Bearing has proven itself a remarkable eliminator of friction by saving wear and thereby increasing the life and efficiency of the car's entire mechanism. Furthermore, by conquering friction the Ball Bearing economizes every operating and upkeep expenditure. “For the past two years we have been using NEW BALL @ continued the engineer. “We have found them “Asan engineer I believe it profitable that every prospective absolutely uniform in all quality essentials, and of purchaser of an antomotale should we tot thatthe Sag Be bars egrigged yh Bea Bearings that sav we the power and the wear piven aaliey of material and precision of ng cot of bi machine, gig Cameanr y's imensions. Ee a oe en whi ‘every man interested in avtomo- “Asa manufacturer you will appreciate this. Liten—when POP eae Teta ec wriehek AR berbont 1 visited their great factory at Bastol, Connecticut, | learned 7 ‘some things that astounded me, THE NEW DEPARTURE MFG. CO. “The New Departure Mig. Co. have established a truly é ioe wonderful system of exact pared For instance, over : 12,000 different and most ages are used in the andlecttedl thee Beats elich be milly meante pracace frien of precision more accurate than watchwork. a a Manufs the tecndat cd nd eal wares crt Svenar's met en component, New Departure Double Row Type A sine, tecentaned, “loolsrol” nit carrying all the snd stresses simulta neously from whatever New Departure Single Row Type A biel perfected anti-friction Bearing for e tachal loads caly are to be carried.