Life, 1918-06-13 · page 2 of 36
Life — June 13, 1918 — page 2: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is **not a cartoon or satire page** — it's a straightforward advertisement for the Marmon 34 automobile, published in *Life* magazine. The ad highlights the car's 136-inch wheelbase and 4-passenger roadster design. The text emphasizes engineering improvements: 1,290 fewer parts, 1,100 pounds less weight, better fuel and tire efficiency (40-50% more mileage). These specifics reflect 1920s automotive marketing focused on mechanical reliability and economy — practical selling points for early mass-market cars. The Nordyke & Marmon Company, established 1851 in Indianapolis, positions the vehicle as meeting "America's approval" through efficiency-driven design. The elegant side-profile illustration was typical period advertising aesthetic for luxury automobiles. This represents genuine commercial content, not editorial satire.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
54 136-Inch Wheelbase The New Series 4-Passenger Road- ster has America’s approval because it conforms to America’s program of unimpaired service conducted with purposeful economy. Advanced. engineering, 1290 less parts, 1100 pounds less weight, 40 to 50 per cent more mileage from tires, 50 to 75 per cent more miles from fuel. NoRDYKE & MARMON COMPANY Established 1651 INDIANAPOLIS