Engineer Encases Bodies in Metal (Jan, 1936)
Filed under: Just Weird — @ 12:16 am
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1936
Buy on Ebay
Source: Modern Mechanix ( More articles from this issue )
Issue: Jan, 1936
Buy on Ebay
Engineer Encases Bodies in Metal
THROUGH a carefully guarded secret process, Marcus D. Rynkofs, Los Angeles electroplating engineer, is able to encase any body in metal so closely fitted that every feature of the subject is reproduced. The process, superior to any developed by the Egyptians, will preserve a body forever, sealing it in an air tight chamber against the ravages of time.
This is just creepy. “Let’s bronze Fido so we can keep him with us forever and ever!”. Don’t even think about the smell if the thing ever broke - and one has to wonder if any of these ever ruptured from the actions of anaerobic bacteria turning the enclosed item into soup…
I notice his test object in the photo is a reasonably smooth-skinned animal. I get the feeling this wouldn’t work all that well on something with a pelt.
Comment by mrchurchill109 — December 5, 2007 @ 8:44 am
…and a young Nels Irwin looks at this and says “hmmmmm”
Comment by Neil Russell — December 5, 2007 @ 10:25 am
I don’t think there is any way to encase flesh in metal and have any recognizable form. I’d bet this guy was using a lost wax casting; negative form, positive form, clay and then casting. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_wax_casting
Comment by Craig — December 5, 2007 @ 1:34 pm
When you consider that baby shoes are made out of “flesh” and they’ve been bronzed since the 1930’s http://www.alumbo.com/article/.....nzing.html I think that it was possible.
His technique was probably based on that electroplate process still available today.
Comment by Firebrand38 — December 5, 2007 @ 2:22 pm
I’m reminded of the Dorothy Sayers “Lord Peter” short story “The Abominable History of the Man With the Copper Fingers.”
Comment by Jo — December 5, 2007 @ 6:10 pm
Would this prevent drying out and therefore mummification? Would this mean that eventually, as commenter 1 suggests, it could turn into soup inside? OMG, that would make it worse than what the Egyptians and Mayans did. Just, OMG creepy. And also: lol.
Comment by marss — December 16, 2007 @ 7:30 pm
I’m a PhD chemist and I still have no idea what what happen to the contents of this process. Some bacteria don’t need air, so they would make some alcohol until they died in their own piss (the alcohol). In other words, this is a perfect recipe for vintage rum. Drill a hole and one or two coffee filters later you have auction-ready vintage rum.
Comment by NikFromNYC — January 11, 2008 @ 10:34 pm