William Moon, Light for the Blind: A History of the Origin and Success of Moon’s System of Reading (Embossed in Various Languages) for the Blind (London: Longmans & Co., 1873). Dimensions: 220 x 270 x 30mm (open)

Private collection

Credit: Private collection

William Moon (1818-94) began experimenting with embossed writing systems soon after he lost his sight in 1840, modifying the Roman alphabet to a system comprising nine characters. This frontispiece portrait depicts Moon reading an embossed book, using the visual medium of photography to promote his system of finger reading. Moon’s memoir, which also served to report on the success of his embossing project to contributors, is dedicated to his patron Sir Charles Lowther (himself visually-impaired, who had experimented with embossing books in the 1820s, building a printing press at his residence in Yorkshire).

Object description:

Credit: Private Collection

This book is open on the frontispiece portrait. The left hand side contains a photographic portrait, the right hand side frontispiece details. The photograph fills about the middle third of the page and is set within a decorative border consisting of two red parallel lines about 1.5cm from the image edge. At the bottom of the image, within the border, is inscribed in red typeface ‘W. Moon, LL.D.’ The image depicts a William Moon, a man of about fifty years, standing in an interior setting. Positioned in the centre of the image, he is turned facing right. He wears dark glasses, and is dressed in a smart long coat, worn over a jacket or waistcoat. He is of a medium-large build, with a rounded stomach. He is turned towards a wooden desk with a decorated foliage edge. A large book volume rests on this desk, on which both Moon’s hands are placed, his fingers stretched out feeling the text.  The frontispiece on the right page bears the following text: Light for the blind: A history of the origin and success of Moon’s System of Reading (Embossed in Various Languages) for the blind. By William Moon, LL.D. F.R.G.S., &c. London: Longmans & Co., Paternoster Row, And all booksellers. 1873.