Hands showing the sign language alphabet. Coloured etching, ca. 1825.

Date:
[1825?]
Reference:
17993i
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view Hands showing the sign language alphabet. Coloured etching, ca. 1825.

Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0)

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Credit

Hands showing the sign language alphabet. Coloured etching, ca. 1825. Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0). Source: Wellcome Collection.

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About this work

Publication/Creation

London (58 Holborn Hill) : William Darton at the Repertory of Genius, [1825?]

Physical description

1 print : etching, with watercolour ; platemark 32.5 x 40.8 cm

Lettering

The art of talking with the fingers. ... Lettering continues: "The learner will percieve, on a mere inspection, that the vowels, A,E,I,O and U, are represented by the thumb and fingers of the left hand, held up, as in the first figure. When a particular vowel is to be pointed out, it is to be done by distincly touching the end of the finger which represents it, with the first finger of the right hand. The method of representing, or expressing, the other letters of the alphabet, is sufficiently described by the figures respectively annexed to the them in the plate, except that it will be necessary to point out to the learner the dotted lines in the figures H, and J, The first of these, proceeding from the end of the fingers of the left hand, indicates, that to express the letter H, the right-hand is to be passed over the left, passing it off in the direction of this line; whilst the second signifies, that to express the letter J, the end of the first finger of the right hand is to be drawn across the palm of the left hand, commencing the movement at the root or insertion of the first finger of the left hand. A fillip or flirt with the thumb and second finger of the right hand, is used to signify that the spelling of a word has been completed. It is hoped that this little publication will prove not merely the source of much innocent amusement, but that it will be found substantially valuable as a means of enabling persons unfortunately deprived of the usual organs of conversation, to carry on an intercourse with their friends."

References note

Linda David and Lawrence Darton, Children's books published by William Darton and his sons: a catalogue of an exhibition at the Lilly Library, Indiana University, April-June, 1992, [Bloomington, Indiana]: the Lilly Library, 1992, no. 187

Exhibitions note

Exhibited in "This Is A Voice" at Wellcome Collection, 14 April - 31 July 2016, and Powerhouse Museum (Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences), Sydney, Australia, 11 August 2017 - 28 January 2018

Reference

Wellcome Collection 17993i

Type/Technique

Languages

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