| Collection |
Ronecker Slate Collection |
| Object ID |
2001.211.48 |
| Object Name |
Slate |
| Title |
Ballu and braille slate |
| Made |
Istituto Paolo Colosimo, Napoli |
| Place of Origin |
Naples, Italy |
| 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. |
| 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. He was the uncle of Charles Zinser, who acquired the slate collection after Ronecker's death. |
| Dimension notes |
1 x 7 1/4 in. |
| Material |
Brass, lightweight metal |
| Subjects |
Aids for the blind and visually handicapped.
Ballu.
Braille.
Instructional aids, tools, and supplies.
Slates.
Tactile writing. |
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