Life, 1920-03-04 · page 52 of 78
Life — March 4, 1920 — page 52: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Franklin automobile from Syracuse, New York, highlighting engineering advantages: superior fuel economy (20 mpg), tire longevity (12,500 miles), and reduced depreciation. The illustration shows a well-dressed woman admiring the car parked before her home—a common advertising trope of the era appealing to middle-class aspirations. The "joke" (if any) is subtle: the ad ironically emphasizes the car's reliability by boasting of only "three punctures" per tire set—a claim that seems absurdly low by modern standards but apparently impressive for early automobiles. The page reflects 1920s consumer culture where automotive reliability was genuinely uncertain and remarkable. The text's detailed performance metrics suggest manufacturers competed fiercely on practical durability metrics rather than styling—a stark contrast to later advertising.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
446 JLIFE™ RANKLIN _SEDA N AKE a ride in a Franklin Car, | and its comfort will impress y« as something just as positive and definite as its owners’ average fig- ures of economy and dependability : 20 miles to the gallon of gasoline 12,500 miles to the set of tires 50% slower yearly depreciation Neither the Franklin owner nor the tires he rides on suffer the jolt and jar which rough roads ordinarily produce. Shock is absorbed, rather than trans- mitted, by Franklin light weight and flexibility. This gives driving confi- dence, a sure feeling of control, with no fear of skidding or pounding. As a result, the Franklin Car can maintain a rapid pace more steadily and can cover more ground in a day than any other car. Also, the tires average only three punctures to the set, with no blowouts in their entire life — 12,500 miles. Actual owners’ records are the proof of this. The Franklin naturally outstrips all other fine cars in gasoline economy and in freedom from commonly ex- pected troubles. It is light, flexible, and rolls easily without rack or strain. That means slower depreciation and a higher resale value. The Franklin also has the advantage of complete freedom from tempera- ture annoyances. Being direct air cooled and having no water to boil or freeze, it does not overheat in summer, nor require extra attention in winter. Those who are familiar with the Franklin Car fegard its riding com- fort as a trustworthy index to its entire performance. FRANKLIN AUTOMOBILE COMPANY, SYRACUSE, N. Y comicbooks.com