Life, 1924-12-11 · page 27 of 36
Life — December 11, 1924 — page 27: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a **luxury automobile advertisement**, not a political cartoon or satire. The page promotes the Pierce-Arrow Dual-Valve Six, a high-end motor car. The image shows a seven-passenger sedan in dark maroon with cream and black trim details, positioned beneath a stylized tree. The ad targets wealthy consumers by emphasizing exclusivity and craftsmanship. The opening paragraph explicitly states that owning such a car represents "a whole background of well-ordered living" and cannot be "produced by ordinary methods, or in more than limited numbers"—a direct appeal to elite sensibilities and status consciousness. Prices listed ($5,250-$7,000 for closed cars) confirm this was marketed to the affluent. The mention of "J.V. de Laveaga, Esq." selecting this vehicle serves as social endorsement from a notable owner. This reflects early 20th-century automotive advertising that equated luxury cars with refined taste and social standing.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Pierce-Arrow Dual-Valve Six, Seven-Passenger Sedan, selected by JV. de Laveaga, Esq, For this car, Mr. deLaveaga chose a finish of dark maroon. Thestri ingel dep brown on the bedy, hood and wheels is divided by a hairline stripe fe cream. The fenders finished in black give an effective contrast. Heather mixture upholstery was chosen to harmonize with this color scheme. To owners of the Pierce-Arrow Dual-Valve Six,a motor car is more than a means of transportation. It is an integral part of a whole background of well-ordered living. Such a car, naturally, cannot be produced by ordinary methods, or in more than limited numbers. THE PIERCE-ARROW MOTOR CAR COMPANY BUILDS TWO TYPES OF MOTOR CARS, ‘THE SERIES 33 DUAL-VALVE SIX IN THIRTEEN BODY STYLES, AT $5,250 AND UPWARD; ‘THE seRirs So IN SEVEN BODY STYLES, AT $2,895 AND UPWARD DUAL-VALVE SIX Open cars $5,250 Closed cars $7,000, at Buffalo lERCE- comicbooks.com