Sebastian Lathe Co. was founded in 1891 by Benjamin Sebastian Jr. and his wife, Clara, after he sold his interest in Sebastian, May & Co. In 1896, the company moved to Covington, KY. In March 1951, Sebastian became a division of Cincinnati Metalcrafts, Inc.
In 1953, Cincinnati Metalcrafts, Inc., sold its Sebastian Lathe Division to the Sheldon Machine Co., Chicago, Ill, and all of Sebastian Lathe's manufacturing was moved to Sheldon's Chicago plant. These post-1953 machines were sold as "Sheldon-built Sebastian" lathes. After that 1953 move, the Cincinnati operations of the Sebastian Lathe Co. became D. C. Morrison Co.
Information Sources
- American Lathe Builders: 1810-1910 by Kenneth L. Cope, 2001 page 155
- The lathes.co.uk page on Sebastian has some information on their 15" lathes.
- According to a discussion on owwm.org, Sebastian was acquired by Sheldon Machine Co.
- The Cincinnati Enquirer, Mar. 25, 1951, Pg. 58
- Machinery, Vol. 59, 1953, Pg. 140, Google Books snippet view: "Cincinnati Metalcrafts, Inc., Cincinnati, Ohio, announces the sale of its Sebastian Lathe Division to the Sheldon Machine Co., Chicago, Ill. All manufacturing operations are being moved to the Chicago plant of the Sheldon Machine Co."