Life, 1916-02-03 · page 33 of 48
Life — February 3, 1916 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is primarily **a paid advertisement for New Departure ball bearings**, disguised as editorial content in Life magazine's satirical style. The "cartoon" frames a sales pitch as a dialogue between a salesman and a couple (Dick and Mary) examining a car. The husband questions the wife about bearings' importance; she responds with technical benefits (reducing friction, improving fuel economy, lowering maintenance costs). The salesman then enthusiastically endorses New Departure brand specifically. **What's notable historically:** This represents early 20th-century automotive advertising when ball bearings were genuinely important mechanical innovations that improved car reliability. The "satire" is gentle—Life simply uses humor and domestic conversation to sell a technical product to lay readers unfamiliar with car mechanics. The close-up photographs of actual bearings and the company's contact information (Bristol, Connecticut headquarters) confirm this is genuine product marketing, not political satire. This blended advertorial approach was standard in early 1900s magazines.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Ter IALPIDIPISI Bi SiC IDIDIC FOCI 1O1LO1O1O1O1O1O1O 1O1O1O1O LOLOL 1O LOMO 1LOIO IONE 1O IO LOL LO LOIS) LIFE: DIO1O1O REO) IBIBISBIG 9 e ell. LIPID: Bearings so very napertan, Dick ?” “They certainly are, Mary.” “Because it can be truthfully said that the car we buy is only as good as the Bearings upon which its mech- anism is mounted. “They carry the weight of my loaded car—resist the shocks and jars of the road— nullify the stresses and strains imposed upon the entire mech- anism—and at the same time reduce friction to the vanishing point wherever rotating mo- tion occurs in the chassis. BALL NEW DEPARTURE . Bearings are used inthis -= Paes 3 “Pve been asked that question many times lately,” said the salesman. “And | want to say that our cars are equipped with New Departure Ball Bearings. These Bearings have been selected by our engineers because of their unexcelled efficiency proven by the severest experimental and practical service tests. “Then again,” continued the salesman, “New Departure Ball Bearings are noiseless and fool- proof—and by their own in- herent durability extend the life of the car itself. MPIDISiGiGiG1S: DiGi GiF SIGIGiSiGi Si Si Si SiG New Departure Rea Single Row Type P wo 5 AK fected anti- “Like everything in this car, Sir, the New Departure Ball Bearings are absolutely guaranteed.” There are more good reasons why you should buy a New Departure equipped carin ourillustrated book- let, “New Departure Ball Bearings and What They Mean to the Car Owner.” Write for Booklet “F.” “The overcoming of friction means much to me, because friction causes rapid wear and waste of power. By conserving this power I amenabled to get greater mileage per gallon of gasoline and oil. The jating of wear’ alg. ‘pulls ‘down my upkeep expense.” THE NEW DEPARTURE MFG. CO. Conrad Vatent Licensee Main Office and Works, Bristol, Ce Harterd Diniwos, Hantord, Connectiest Western Bran British Agents: Brown Rros., Lid., London, Continent of Europe Agent: Jacod Hoist, Copenhag: Depot New Departure, 16 Rue d'Armaii triton oathog for nse where radial leads only are to be carried. SMAI AD AAAI AMBBAIBDISISIGFIGISFIFIGIAIPIAGi:@