Ballu and braille slate

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Record 84/164
Copyright Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind
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Collection Ronecker Slate Collection
Date n.d.
Description Hinged pocket slate for Ballu and braille writing; top plate is for braille writing, 2 lines of 24 cells and is made of brass; middle plate is made of lightweight metal with furrows and pins on both sides; bottom plate is for 10-dot-high Ballu writing, 1 line, 49 columns and is made of brass. "1345" and "Istituto Dei Ceichi Napoli Paolo Colosimo" are stamped on top plate. Ballu writing was developed in Spain. A stylus was used with the Ballu slate to make tactile print, by embossing dots in the shapes of letters of the Roman alphabet.
Dimension notes 1 x 7 1/4 in.
Made Istituto Paolo Colosimo, Napoli
Material Brass, lightweight metal
Object ID 2001.211.48
Object Name Slate
Place of Origin Naples, Italy
Provenance/History Item is part of a slate collection that belonged to David Ronecker (1918-2001). He was blind since birth, attended the Missouri School for the Blind, worked in
Texas as a medical technician for the armed forces, and was an avid collector of slates. His nephew, Charles Zinser, sold the slate collection after Ronecker's death.
Subjects Aids for the blind and visually handicapped.
Ballu.
Braille.
Instructional aids, tools, and supplies.
Slates.
Tactile writing.
Title Ballu and braille slate
Image Courtesy Museum of the American Printing House for the Blind. Note: use of some materials may be restricted, please call before publishing in any format.

For more information contact the museum at 502-899-2365    museum@aph.org
Last modified on: April 02, 2010