According to Rick Brown, editor-in-chief of HistoryBuff.com, "The New England Institution for the Education of the Blind (Boston), under the direction of Samuel Gridley Howe, obtained their first printing press in 1835. From this press they began publishing several works in the tactile (raised letter) format. By 1842, they had produced the New Testament, the complete text of the Bible, a Universal History, as well as geography, grammar, and spelling books." This institution was the pioneering American concern for publishing for the blind and this was one of their first books and apparently the second version of the geography atlas with embossed maps and specially designed text. Twenty-four states mapped. Reputedly 50 copies printed, 4 extant. This copy lacks maps of Indiana and Virginia and the text leaves for Ohio and Virginia; these missing parts are provided in the online version with images from a copy owned by Michael Zinman. Atlas was actually prepared by Samuel P. Ruggles. In raised symbology, the atlas shows the outline of each state, rivers and other water bodies, cities, longitudes, latitudes, and mountains. Accompanying embossed text describes the map features in some detail, and the state's area, population, climate, commerce, etc. The atlas was the first intended to be used by the blind without the assistance of a sighted person. Page condition excellent and very clean.
pub_note
According to Rick Brown, editor-in-chief of HistoryBuff.com, "The New England Institution for the Education of the Blind (Boston), under the direction of Samuel Gridley Howe, obtained their first printing press in 1835. From this press they began publishing several works in the tactile (raised letter) format. By 1842, they had produced the New Testament, the complete text of the Bible, a Universal History, as well as geography, grammar, and spelling books." This institution was the pioneering American concern for publishing for the blind and this was one of their first books and apparently the second version of the geography atlas with embossed maps and specially designed text. Twenty-four states mapped. Reputedly 50 copies printed, 4 extant. This copy lacks maps of Indiana and Virginia and the text leaves for Ohio and Virginia; these missing parts are provided in the online version with images from a copy owned by Michael Zinman. Atlas was actually prepared by Samuel P. Ruggles. In raised symbology, the atlas shows the outline of each state, rivers and other water bodies, cities, longitudes, latitudes, and mountains. Accompanying embossed text describes the map features in some detail, and the state's area, population, climate, commerce, etc. The atlas was the first intended to be used by the blind without the assistance of a sighted person. Page condition excellent and very clean.
Pub Note
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