Atlas Premium Company, Depression-era Salesman's Kit for Shop Promotion Using Movie Celebrity Photos, Watch Giveaways

Chicago, 1930. A sales kit marketed to businesses during the Depression. The album of strategies and techniques was called the "Atlas Plans" and stressed window posters, overprinted cards, testimonial letters, etc. with the enticement of getting an Elgin Watch as a "confirmation gift" for those who shopped in their store. Includes a large folding poster with illustration of boxers, and text, "Fight! Price Cutting! Unfair Competition! Slack Business! And Win New Business from New Customers, More Business from Old Customers. It Can Be Done with Atlas Plans". All is presented in a large cord-bound portfolio.

The portfolio is complete with a booklet of carbon copy order forms ("Economy orders"); testimonial flyer ("Our Salesmen Say This"); a sleeve containing "Genuine Authorized Rotogravure Famous Movie Celebrities" consisting of printed b&w movie star portraits with printed advertising on the verso (14 portraits, 7 3/4 x 9 1/2"); large folded poster printed in red and black, titled "Trade With Us" with illustrations at front & "Detailed Explanation of the Plan" at verso (unfolds to 17 1/2 x 24"); customer courtesy cards, each printed with the headline "Trade with us and get these $9.50 watches for only $3.49"; b&w printed photographs of customers viewing shop windows with Atlas advertising prominently displayed; printed testimonial letters, including one from Arthur Witt, owner of a Shell gasoline service station in Decatur Illinois accompanied by a full page printed b&w photograph of the station; advertising slogans for each month of the year, folded & printed on color stock; and a Bradstreet's rating page showing Atlas Premium with a AA rating.

14 1/2 x 11" portfolio, brown stiff paper stock, cord bound, 19 stiff paper pages, unused and in very good condition, with one small exception - The first gathering of 12 photos of celebrity photos has separated from the inside front cover wit no loss. A small gilt printed Atlas Premium Co. label at lower corner front wrapper, slt. chipped lower front cover, overall very good condition.