Life — September 9, 1920 — page 5: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Silvertown Cord Advertisement This is **not a cartoon or satire**—it's a straightforward advertisement for Goodrich Silvertown tires, appearing in *Life* magazine (page 437). The ad uses aesthetic language ("Beauty that is strong and strength that is beautiful") to market the tire as a "masterpiece." The small illustration at top shows a scenic mountain vista viewed through tall trees from a car, emphasizing the tire's capability for long-distance travel ("Best in the Long Run"). The tagline claims Silvertown was "America's First Cord Tire." The fine print at bottom specifies performance claims: Silvertown Cords lasted 8,000 miles; fabric tires only 6,000 miles. This represents early automotive advertising emphasizing durability and American industrial innovation—standard magazine advertising rather than editorial content.