ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | MAY 2026 32 The middle decades of the 20th century represent a golden age of magazine illustration and design. Covers were bold artistic statements in their own right—think of Norman Rockwell’s iconic paintings gracing the Saturday Evening Post—often bearing little connection to the content inside. Today, The New Yorker stands as MID-CENTURY MODERN: THE ART OF METAL PROGRESS MAGAZINE The unique covers of Metal Progress magazine showcased an array of metals applications and attributes while exhibiting a stunning range of artistic expression. Scott Henry,* ASM International, Materials Park, Ohio *Member of ASM International nearly the last major magazine to honor that tradition. From the 1930s through the 1980s, Metal Progress—the flagship publication of the American Society for Metals and the precursor to Advanced Materials & Processes—embodied this spirit with particular flair. Its covers ranged across oil paintings, geometric abstractions, and striking photo- graphy, unified by a common thread: some reference, however stylized, to the processing or application of metals. In one respect, Metal Progress actually outdared its mass- market contemporaries—the magazine’s own nameplate was regularly reshaped to complement each cover’s design, a typographic flexibility rarely seen elsewhere. This article highlights a selection of those covers from the 1930s through the 1950s, showcasing the remarkable range of styles that defined the magazine’s early visual identity. ~AM&P February 1936; credit not found. June 1937; credit not found.
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