Up for sale is a remarkably rare, original 1936 Kohler of Kohler "Planned Plumbing and Heating" Catalog K-36, complete with a highly coveted "Personal Copy" salesman/agent label affixed to the inner front cover. Included with this historical catalog is a rare estate-found grouping of 8 original loose-leaf technical specification sheets, including a fascinating, dated 1938 production and pricing update insert.
This lot offers an incredibly comprehensive, museum-grade look into late Art Deco-era industrial design, architectural planning, and high-end residential plumbing manufactured right at the tail end of the Great Depression.
Published in 1936 by the Kohler Co. of Kohler, Wisconsin, Catalog K-36 represents a major turning point in the company's marketing and sales history. Moving away from the massive, unmanageable product books of the 1910s and 1920s, Kohler designed the K-36 to be a "compact, workable catalog" that prioritized streamlined utility for architects, field salesmen, and plumbing contractors.
The catalog features spectacular, vibrant, full-color Art Deco bathroom concepts showcasing legendary vintage Kohler color lines like "Peachblow" (a dusty pastel pink) paired with striking chocolate brown, coral, and blue-green structural wall tiling. It perfectly captures the geometric elegance, space-saving footprints, and color theory of mid-1930s Americana design.
1. The Main Catalog (K-36): Hardcover bound in its iconic textured blue cloth with crisp gold and white Art Deco typography. Features the full corporate directory listing historic pre-WWII branch offices (including the famous Chicago Tribune Tower office and the international London, England branch).
2. Eight (8) Original Loose Spec Sheets / Inserts:
* K-690 "Kenneth" Enameled Corner Lavatory Spec Sheet (2 identical copies/variants)
* K-705 "Biltmore" Enameled Corner Lavatory Spec Sheet
* K-720 "Benton" Flat-Back Enameled Lavatory Spec Sheet
* K-730 "Beacon" One-Piece Enameled Lavatory Spec Sheet
* K-1234 "Sibley" Vitreous China Washdown Toilet/Tank Spec Sheets (2 architectural layouts)
* November 12, 1938 Factory Notice: A fascinating, incredibly rare loose insert detailing size changes, shipping weights, and a $44.05 retail price point for the transition into the "Camberley" ledge-back design series.
* Catalog Cover: The blue textured cloth boards are intact and structurally sound with sharp corners. Minor shelf wear and faint aging consistent with a book of this era.
* Binding & Interior: The binding is firm. The internal full-color lithograph pages are clean, bright, and free of major tears (SOME OF THE INTERIOR PAGES ARE CREASED AT THE TOP, SEE PICS). Faint, natural toning to page edges. The "Personal Copy" tip-in label is firmly attached and perfectly legible.
* Loose Spec Sheets: Individual pages show mild age-toning and very minor edge wear from storage, but they remain crisp, flat and excellent for framing or archiving.
(Please review all high-resolution photos carefully to evaluate exact cosmetic condition).
* Historic Home Restorers: An absolute goldmine of original dimensions, color matching, and rough-in layout inspiration for restoring 1930s homes.
* Industrial Design Collectors: A pristine artifact documenting corporate sales philosophies and manufacturing adjustments during the late-depression era.
* Archivists & Ephemera Enthusiasts: Rare to find with the original salesman's label and chronological loose update sheets still kept together.
Promptly packaged in a sturdy box to ensure safe transit. Sent via USPS Media Mail.