author
Otto Luhr
b. 1863
Known for practical early-20th-century engineering books, this German-born technical writer helped make refrigeration and industrial mechanics more understandable for working professionals. His surviving works are straightforward, data-heavy, and closely tied to the applied science of their time.
1 Audiobook
Manufacturing Cost Data on Artificial Ice
by Otto Luhr, Herman Friedl
About the author
Born in 1863 and later associated with Chicago, Otto Luhr is remembered through technical publications rather than a large personal record. Sources connected with his books identify him as the author of Mechanical and Refrigerating Engineers' Handy Book and co-author of Manufacturing Cost Data on Artificial Ice, works focused on refrigeration, steam, machinery, and industrial cost analysis.
His writing appears to have been aimed at engineers, mechanics, and students who needed practical reference material. The best-known title linked to his name was published by the Wahl-Henius Institute in 1913, suggesting a strong connection to technical education and applied industry.
Biographical details on Luhr are limited in the sources readily available online, but memorial records list him as Otto Luhr (1863–1932). What stands out most is the usefulness of his work: he wrote books designed to solve real mechanical problems, reflecting an era when engineering handbooks were essential tools on the job.