Life, 1919-08-14 · page 35 of 44
Life — August 14, 1919 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily a **Willys-Knight automobile advertisement**, not political satire. The illustration at top shows a car navigating a winding mountain road, captioned "Sleeve-Valve, the Motor that Improves with Use"—the advertisement's central claim. The text promotes the Willys-Knight brand's reputation for reliability and long-term ownership satisfaction. It emphasizes that the car's "Sleeve-Valve motor actually improves with use," contrasting with typical engines that deteriorate over time. This was a genuine technical feature Willys-Knight marketed as superior. The ornate decorative border and classical typography reflect early 1920s magazine design standards. The company information lists Toledo, Ohio as headquarters and West Toronto as the Canadian factory. **This is commercial advertising, not editorial commentary or satire.** It targets affluent car buyers seeking prestige and durability.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Valve, the Motor that Improves with Use” nf HE W illys-Knight car has ¢ the reputation for mak- the Bact motor car service obtain- able there are thousands whose search ended when they became Willys-Knight owners. It is easy to understand why their enthusi- asm increases the longer they drive —because the quiet, smooth, Sleeve-Valve motor actually im- proves with use. WILLYS-OVERLAND, INC., Toledo, Ohio Willys-Knight Touring—Four, §1725—Light, $2750; Seven’ Passenger Sedan—Fou — Hight, $675. Lo. b. Toleto CANADIAN FACTORY, WEST TORONTO, CANADA comicbooks.com