Life, 1920-02-12 · page 35 of 44
Life — February 12, 1920 — page 35: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **automobile advertisement**, not a political cartoon. The page promotes the Franklin automobile manufactured in Syracuse, New York. The illustration depicts two figures enjoying winter sports (skiing) beside a Franklin car, emphasizing the vehicle's reliability and low-maintenance design. The advertisement's central argument is that the Franklin's original engineering principles—light weight, flexible construction, and crucially, **air cooling instead of water cooling**—have proven superior over eighteen years. The key selling points highlighted are: exceptional fuel economy (20 miles per gallon), tire durability (12,500 miles per set), minimal depreciation, and freedom from seasonal maintenance hassles like draining coolant in winter or refilling in summer. A testimonial from a Springfield, Massachusetts owner claiming 17 previous automobiles owned but the Franklin as "the best one yet" provides social proof. The advertisement targets affluent buyers seeking practical luxury and economy combined.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“LIFE: THE FRANKLIN CAR ARTING with right principles is better than trying to modify other principles as time proves them incorrect. This is strikingly shown by the way the Franklin is leading all other fine cars in performance and in growth of sales. The Franklin Car began with light weight and flexible construction, instead of with hea weight and rigidity, and has consistently held to these correct principles. That's why it leads in easy riding, safe handling, economy and long life—and has for eighteen years. Right principles also account for the Franklin average of but three punctures, with no blowouts, in the life of a set of tires—12,500 miles. FRANKLIN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, At the outset, it was a Franklin convic- tion that freedom from temperature trouble could never be achieved with water cooling. Hence Franklin direct air cooling (no water to boil or freeze), which permits Franklin owners to enjoy relief from filling, draining, watching, worry and expense the year round. This | Franklin combination of — light weight, flexibility, and direct air cooling gives definite results. Franklin owners can travel longest distances in a ¢ they enjoy the greatest all-season re liability, and profit by an economy not yet approached in any other fine car. 20 miles to the gallon of gasoline 12,500 miles to the set of tires 5 slower yearly depreciation SYRACUSE, N. Y. A PROMINENT SPRINGFIELD, MASS., OWNER WRITES “ Have owned 17 makes of automobiles and my enclosed Frank lin is the best one yet. During its 12,000 miles I have never had a tire off of the wheels, The average for gasoline has been 21 miles to the gallon.” comicbooks.com