Life — January 27, 1916 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This page is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a **luxury automobile advertisement** for the Locomotile Company of America, disguised as editorial content in *Life* magazine. The ad emphasizes exclusivity and craftsmanship: Locomotile owners enjoy "good style and taste" and "riding ease," with "solid expensive construction." The key selling point is **limited production—"Four Cars a Day"**—suggesting each vehicle receives meticulous attention. For modern readers: this represents early 1900s luxury marketing targeting wealthy elites. The ornate decorative border mimics fine art or literature pages, positioning automobile ownership as a mark of refined taste rather than mere transportation. The scarcity claim (four cars daily) was a common exclusivity strategy used to justify premium pricing and appeal to status-conscious buyers.