c.1820, DAVID G. SEIXAS, THE DEAF & DUMB LANGUAGE, SIGN LANGUAGE BROADSIDE

When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

c.1820, DAVID G. SEIXAS, THE DEAF & DUMB LANGUAGE, SIGN LANGUAGE BROADSIDE:
$2600.00

An original broadside, circa 1820, illustrating the manual alphabet used in early sign language.
The Deaf & Dumb Language.
Philadelphia: David G. Seixas
ND, circa 1820
Original Printing
A single piece of paper measuring: 9 1/8" x 4 1/2".
Some crease from being folded, some minor discoloration, else in very good + condition.
David G. Seixas (1788–1864) was a foundational figure in the early development of American sign language education. As the founder and first principal of the Pennsylvania Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, established in 1820, Seixas was among the first in the United States to promote the use of the manual alphabet—what would become American Sign Language—as a primary method of instruction for deaf students. He recognized the importance of visual communication and created printed materials, including engraved charts depicting the hand signs for each letter of the alphabet, to aid both students and educators. Seixas also played a vital advocacy role, organizing a public demonstration of deaf students using sign language in front of the Pennsylvania legislature in 1821, which led to official recognition and state funding for the school. Though his tenure was brief, his efforts helped legitimize sign language as a viable educational tool at a time when oralism still dominated the conversation around deaf instruction. His legacy lives on in the foundational place he holds in the history of American deaf education and the early institutional promotion of sign-based communication.If you have any questions, feel free to ask, and don't forget to check out my other listings.