Description:

Alexander Graham Bell
Northampton, MA, March 15, 1906
Alexander Graham Bell LS Gifting $75,000 to Association Benefiting the Deaf
LS
Alexander Graham Bell (1847-1922). Letter Signed, "Alexander Graham Bell", Northampton, Massachusetts, March 15, 1906. 3pp, 8.5" x 11". Additionally signed by three witnesses. Expected mailing folds and creases. Minor discoloration and scattered foxing. Isolated ink smudging and lightness to text, not affecting legibility. In very good plus to near fine condition.

To Dr. Albert Louis Edgerton Crouter (1846-1925) who was president of the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf.

In full:

"As I am about to sail for Europe, and since I have promised to give to the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf certain property to establish 'The Alexander Melville Bell Memorial Fund' the outline of which has been presented to the Association and accepted by its Board of Directors, and since most of this property will not come into my hands for several months, I desire to give to you a memorandum in black and white of what it consists as a protection to the Association in case of accident to myself before the release of the property from the hands of the Administrator.

1st. The house and lot of land in Georgetown formerly occupied by my father at the corner of 35th Street and Volta Place, valued at about $13,000. 2nd. All stocks and bonds which will come to me from my late father's estate, except $20,000 which shall be given to members of my family and certain papers which have not had any value placed upon them by the Administrator. The amount of stocks and bonds to be transferred to the Association is estimated at $62,000, making the total gift by me to the Association about $75,000."

Bell's generous gift to the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf is but one gesture among numerous endeavors in his lifelong association with the cause of the deaf. His work with the deaf dates back to age twelve, when his mother began losing her hearing. During his teens, Bell helped his father, Alexander Melville Bell, in his work with deaf mutes, and in 1871, Bell spent several weeks providing instruction to teachers at the Boston School for Deaf Mutes. In 1872, Bell opened his own school in Boston for training teachers of the deaf.

After his invention of the telephone in 1876, Bell continued his experiments in communication, and in techniques for teaching speech to the deaf. In 1880, he won the Volta Prize from France for his invention of the telephone and used the winnings to set up Volta Laboratory. Ten years later, in 1890, he established the American Association to Promote the Teaching of Speech to the Deaf in New York, with the objective of promoting oral communication. Despite the world-changing, historical significance of his contributions as an inventor, it was Bell's work with the deaf that, later in life, Bell himself would describe as "more pleasing to me than even recognition of my work with the telephone."

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8.5" x 11"
  • Medium: LS

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000