Life, 1920-07-29 · page 31 of 36
Life — July 29, 1920 — page 31: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **product advertisement**, not political satire. It promotes the Liberty Automobile Lens, manufactured by Macbeth-Evans Glass Company. The page uses the Statue of Liberty as a visual metaphor—the statue appears holding a torch, connecting Liberty the brand name to the product's function (providing light). The ad emphasizes that the lens provides safe, legal automotive lighting by spreading light widely without glare, meeting state regulations. The advertisement lists major automobile manufacturers of the era (Jordan, Studebaker, Paige, National, etc.) as standard equipment users, establishing credibility through adoption by leading cars. Pricing varies by region. This represents early automotive safety marketing—automobile headlights were a relatively new technology requiring standardization and legal compliance. The patriotic imagery (Statue of Liberty) links American manufacturing quality to the product.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Light Where laws say light should be — HE Liberty Automobile Lens provides the safe light that \ laws in every state require. It puts the light on the road where it is needed. It lights the way on both sides and 300 to 400 feet ahead clearly, safely. It eliminates blinding glare. It is legal everywhere. Because of its splendid ¢ ncy it has become standard equipment on more cars than any other lens. Its immediate adoption by these leading cars is another tribute to the Macbeth-Evans reputation for excelling. In half a century no prod- uct bearing their name has led to excel—none has held a second place. In keep- ing with this tradition the Liberty Lens has immediately won the place its better- ments deserve. Light plus Light in abundance but safe light is the Liberty's distinction. Six perpendicu- lar recesses on the front surface of the lens spread the light so wide that the sharpest turns are safe. Seven transverse prisms on the rear face bend under aline 75 feet ahead. So glare is ended. y . | Price per pair . $3.00 Canada... $4.00 Standard Denver and West 3.25 Winnipeg and West 4.25 | Equipment on |} Jordan Case | Daniels Templar | Studebaker Stantey | Winton — Cole Paige Moon — !| National Standard = : | Peerless Briscoe Macheth-Evens made the great lens in this famons statue. The same scientific skill produced the Liberty Lens, Grant Biltwell | Paterson Premier Jones Branch Offices in: Boston; Chicago; New York; Philadelphia; Pittsburgh; San Francisco, 720 Book Building, Detroit TRUCKS | Macbeth-Bv imi i acbeth-Evane Glass Company, Limited, Toronto, Canada Garsee Meter Track =| Selden o \. Garford \ comicbooks.com