Lot description
[KAHN, Fritz (1888-1968)]. The Human Factory: Sketch of the Chemical Functions of the Body. Stuttgart: Fricke & Co., [1931]. Rare English language version of a famous anatomical-industrial poster by a pioneer of infographics. Fritz Kahn’s magnum opus, Das Leben des Menschen, a five volume journey through the human body which illustrates biological processes using their mechanical equivalents, was published between 1922-1931 and included as a supplement the original German language version of the poster, entitled ‘Der Mensch als Industriepalast’. We are aware of only a single copy of this English language version in institutional holdings, at the Wellcome Library, London. The Wellcome copy differs from the present copy in being backed onto linen and folded between wrappers, by the presence of an accompanying booklet not included here, and by the addition of an overslip at the imprint giving the publisher as ‘George Philip & Son, Ltd’. Chromolithographic poster (991 x 500mm). (Closed tears to upper and lower portions and blank area, these skilfully repaired and the whole backed onto archival paper, faint stains around head and nose.)