Life, 1923-12-06 · page 69 of 84
Life — December 6, 1923 — page 69: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is not satire—it's a straightforward automobile advertisement from *Life* magazine's advertising pages. It promotes Lincoln Motor Company's custom-built cars to wealthy buyers. The ad appeals to status-conscious motorists by emphasizing that a Lincoln isn't merely transportation but a "concrete symbol of distinction" reflecting one's social standing. The accompanying illustration shows an elegant "Open Drive Limousine" parked before a mansion, reinforcing the luxury market positioning. The language—"exclusive atmosphere," "individuality and charm," "those who set highest value"—targets affluent readers who see cars as markers of social class. Lincoln, as a Ford Motor Company division, positioned itself as the premium alternative to mass-market vehicles, offering limited-supply custom bodies to distinguish owners within their community. This represents early 20th-century automotive marketing that equated car ownership with personal status and refined taste.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Those motorists whose appraisal of a car is influenced by its fitness to reflect their stand- ing in the community agree in according Lincoln custom built closed bodies their un- qualified approval. The supply of these bodies is strictly limited. Their beauty is of that happy sort which, without striving for attention, commands respect. Every detail of their design, finish, and fittings contributes to an individuality and charm gratifying to those who set high- est value upon these factors. Mounted upon the standard Lincoln chassis, these madeancilee the exacting motorist not only luxuriousand dependable transportation, but also a concrete symbol of distinction— a car accurately expressing the exclusive atmosphere to which he is accustomed. LINCOLN MOTOR COMPANY , ;, DIVISION OF FORD MOTOR COMPANY, DETROIT, MICH. The Open Drive Limousine N €: OO L. N mney Exhibited at the National Automobile Shows comicbooks.com