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Atlas Catalog Covers
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Manuals and catalogues are available for most Atlas machine tools

At least one of the Atlas catalog covers, No. 26, was drawn by the eccentric gentleman artist Arthur C. Radebaugh, a man whose advertising work was also commissioned by Coca-Cola, Dodge and Chrysler. From the late 1930s until the 1960s he was known for his futuristic, air-brush illustrations in, amongst other publications, Motor, Fortune and the Saturday Evening Post. In addition, he also had a weekly syndicated cartoon strip "Closer Than We Think", a humorous send-up of technology and invention. Eventually forgotten (and for many years his type of work derided) his reputation was revived as the significance of his contribution to graphic illustration was realised in the closing years of the 20th century. A video of his work is here and examples of his art here and here.
Atlas catalogs were, until the late 1930s, always of an interesting design with artistic covers, a wealth of detailed information, profusely illustrated and with a simple chronological numbering system. Most were titled "
Atlas Equipment" or "Atlas Modern Shop Equipment" the known exceptions being  No. 31 "Atlas Lathes" and No. 30 "The New Atlas Shaper". The catalogs continued to be published during the Second World War, but only in limited numbers - with separate editions for drills, shapers, millers and lathes also issued. Although I believe that all editions of the catalogs have been found, though should any reader know otherwise, the writer would be pleased to proved wrong.
This page shows covers from the early 1930s through the unfortunately long-lasting and ubiquitous "green" editions of 1950s, to the final publications of the 1960 and 1970s.
If you have cover pictures from different catalogs that you would like to contribute, please do get in touch.
Two of the more colourful catalog covers below can be download and printed out at around 12" x 16" - an ideal size to frame and hang on your study or living-room wall (good luck with the latter….)



The earliest-known edition of the Atlas lathe catalog  - circa 1931-2

Undated but circa 1933/34
Click here or the picture for a very high resolution image of this cover suitable for printing out.



Catalog No. 15 undated but circa 1935

Catalog No. 26 (dated 1936-7) by the eccentric gentleman artist Arthur C. Radebaugh whose advertising work was also commissioned by Coca-Cola, Dodge and Chrysler. From the late 1930s until the 1960s he was known for his futuristic air-brush illustrations on the covers of Motor, Fortune and Saturday Evening Post magazine and a weekly syndicated cartoon strip "Closer Than We Think," a humorous send-up of technology and invention. Eventually forgotten (and for many years his type of art derided) his reputation was revived in the closing years of the 20th century as the significance of his contribution to graphic illustration techniques was realised. A video of his work is hereexamples of his art can be seen here, though sites featuring his work came and go and Wikipedia might be a safer link Click the picture, or here, for a high resolution image of this cover that is suitable for printing out to A3 or larger. For a really high-quality job, take the image to a graphics shop or send to one of the many online suppliers of photographic prints

Catalog No. 28 dated November 1937

Although undated this lathe catalog was posted in the same envelope as
one for the June, 1938 edition of the No. 30 "Shaper" sales folder



1939 - the first catalog to carry a number that matched the year of publication

The 30th Anniversary (1911 - 1941) edition featured the newly-introduced horizontal milling machine.



By 1945 the cover was utilitarian in appearance - supply of machine tools for
the domestic market was still limited by wartime restrictions quotas.

The special 1947 catalog devoted exclusively to the newly-introduced screwcutting gearbox model

The prosaic, unimaginative cover of the catalog as issued from 1950.
This was to remain unaltered through several different editions.



Cover of the first "new-model 12-inch" Atlas lathe catalog 1958

Circa 1967

And finally - 1972



Manuals are available for most Atlas machine tools

Atlas Catalog Covers
Atlas Home Page     

email: tony@lathes.co.uk
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