Life, 1920-09-09 · page 5 of 44
Life — September 9, 1920 — page 5: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
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.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Be that is strong and strength that is beautiful—the mark of the masterpiece—inseparably en- twined in the master tire— ‘The Silvertown Cord. S Goodrich vertown America’s First Corp Tire H\|| ‘Zhe Goodrich Adjustment Basis: Silvertown Cords, 8000 Miles ; Fabrice Tires, 6000 Miles comicbooks.com