Vergleichende Anatomie der Wirbeltiere: Rana esculenta. Wasserfrosch.

Uncommon, early 20th-century anatomical relief plaque of the European frog species Rana esculenta (the common European water frog, or green frog). The publisher's archive copy, in excellent condition in the original box.This relief was one of a series produced for schools, Vergleichende Anatomie der Wirbeltiere (Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates), designed by the German behavioural scientist and educational writer Bastian Schmid (1870-1944) for the major educational publisher J. F. Schreiber. The printed paper label on the back gives the names of the frogs' body parts and also introduces the diagram, 'This relief is the second in the series Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates and, like the Fish, is intended to be useful both for theoretical instruction and for biological exercises in higher schools. To the left a female, on the right a male animal, both natural size with the brain and spinal cord enlarged. In the female we see the entire intestines, the respiratory system, the heart with its anterior chambers, the aortic arch...'

Painted anatomical relief in wooden frame (24 x 30 cm); printed paper label to the back, a few very minor scratches and spots to the frame; housed in the original box with the stamp of the publisher's archive and two manuscript labels, one giving the name of the display and the other reading "F21", and with the original tissue-covered cellulose insert to protect the relief, some wear to the box and the tissue covering for the cotton padding, excellent condition.