Letter from Alexander von Mell, page 2 of 3

Description: Letter from Alexander von Mell, Director of the Imperial Royal School for the Blind in Vienna. Page 2 of 3.

Creator: Alexander von Mell

Full text: ... very scarce. You must have all, of which I have had a second copy in the collections of the institution. I shall do all possible to send you some other samples. They are comparable to the books printed before the year 1500 commonly called "Incunabula" (Cradle-prints). There exist about these great and scientific catalogues and I wished to issue such a catalogue also about the "incunabula" amoung the books printed for the blind. (See my "Mitteilungen" I. Heft 1919 p. X, first point).

Perhaps a number of early french, german or austrian books printed in raised types was done in the Perkins Institution's library for the blind? The next french "Hochdruck" in your library must be at least the "Notice historique sur l'institution des jeunes aveugles" by Guillie printed in 1817; a copy of it I have sent to the Perkins Institution between march and june 1902. The "Choix de Lectures Pieuses..." mentioned by you I have never seen; it is certainly a scarce book.

For Haüy's Essai as the oldest (first) book printed for the blind ("altester Hockdruck") I beg you to see my "Von unsern Blinden" IV. Tahrg. p. 3, first column and p. 5 second column: "Manhat auch schon ein Buch zu seinem Gebrauche auf die vorhin beschriebene Art gedruckt, namlich das Leben des beruhmten Saundersons..." Therefore it seems, that already before the Essai books were printed for the blind by Haüy; but certainly Haüy's Essai is the first book we know. It is indeed very interesting that at Paris itself they know nothing about the beginning of Haüy's printing for the blind, except what is commonly know. I myself think, that there existed books printed by Haüy before his Essai, but these books are lost and unknown today.

Date: ca. 1921

Format: Manuscript

Digital Identifier: Mell-003

Credit: Perkins Archives, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown, MA

Taken on: August 28, 2013

Tags:

first book for the blind

embossed books

Perkins School for the Blind

blind

history

Alexander von Mell

Alex Mell

Imperial Royal Institute for the Blind, Vienna

Valentin Haüy

Hauy

books for the blind « less

Sets appears in: • Mell on the first embossed book

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