Life, 1918-05-09 · page 31 of 40
Life — May 9, 1918 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a vintage advertisement, not a political cartoon. It promotes Pierce-Arrow automobiles, a luxury car brand manufactured in Buffalo, New York. The page features an illustration of an open-top Runabout model and describes technical specifications (6-cylinder engine, 48 horsepower, 142-inch wheelbase). The advertising copy argues Pierce-Arrow's value proposition: while initial purchase cost may be high, the car's quality remains permanent and its relative cost decreases annually compared to competitors. This appeals to affluent early 20th-century buyers seeking investment-worthy automobiles. The "Victoria folding top" indicates a convertible feature. There is no satire or political commentary present—this is straightforward commercial advertising typical of *Life* magazine's revenue model.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Both the two-passenger and the three-passenger Runabouts are 6-cylinder, 48 horse-power and 142 inches wheel: base, but the two-passenger is ten inches narrower than the three. Each is equipped with Victoria folding top. ierce-Arrow The best car you can buy is the one in which the initial quality is permanent and the initial cost grows less each successive year—that is, the Pierce-Arrow THE PIERCEK-ARROW MOTOR CAR CO. BUFFALO, N. Y. comicbooks.com