Celebrating Science: Atomic Prints

Celebrating science became a fad in the early fifties with "atomic design,"

adopting the atomic diagram with all those protons, neutrons

and electrons floating around in neat, elliptical orbits.

Vintage dress

Vintage radio

Was it a starburst or a sunburst?

Franciscan Starburst pattern

and fabric tablecloth to go with it.

Formica

It's hard to understand the charm of atomic bombs.

Atomic Fire Ball gum

complete with mushroom cloud

But those of us who grew up hoping a wobbly desk

would protect us from the inevitable Cold War attack

recall how the images permeated the culture.

Vintage barkcloth

Weird Science indeed.

 I bet these pieces of barkcloth are reproductions. They are almost too hip to be true.

There really isn't that much atomic imagery on fabric from the fifties but the word "Atomic" is now used to describe any of the abstract modern prints---

any high-style fifties design.

Atomic Ranch magazine