Assorted hearing device trumpets from the 1800s. Copyright Bernard Becker Medical Library. Used with permission.

The Central Institute for the Deaf-Max A. Goldstein Historic Devices for Hearing Collection at Washington University Bernard Becker Medical Library was started by Max A. Goldstein, MD (1870-1941), a St. Louis otologist and founder of Central Institute for the Deaf (CID). The collection contains over 400 hearing devices dating from 1796 and represents one of the largest collections in the world. Associated with the collection is archival material dating from the 19th century including photographic prints, catalog illustrations, advertisements, patents and related ephemera.

The hearing devices in the collection include small hand-held trumpet type devices; long conversation tubes; large London-dome shaped trumpets; animal horns; acoustic fans; parabolic trumpets; walking sticks; a leather and metal device manufactured to resemble a water canteen; telescopic devices that could be discreetly folded within a pocket; vases; headpieces for women; beard receptacles for men; the first electronic hearing device model; devices that resemble radios or cameras; devices hidden within barrettes and eyeglasses; early cochlear implant models; and many more. There are few duplicate devices with many representing the only known extant models.

This ornate, gold plated Bouquet Holder, manufactured by Thomas Hawksley, London, about 1880, was designed to be worn by a woman on her clothing and camouflaged with lace, trimming or flowers. The space in the center of the raised dome collected the sound and conveyed it to the ear through a rubber tube. The Hawksley Catalogue (illustration shown) described this device as, "A pretty device for assisting the best ear in slight cases of deafness . . . a very small elastic tube attached to the ear need be the only part apparent." Copyright Bernard Becker Medical Library. Used with permission.

Many of these hearing devices are featured in Deafness in Disguise: 19th and 20th Century Concealed Hearing Devices [ http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/did/index.htm ], a digital exhibit that showcases hearing devices from the 19th and 20th centuries that were designed to be concealed or camouflaged. It was literally a work of art to combine the elements of disguise and functionality in a hearing device that was aesthetically appealing and yet useful for those with a hearing loss, whether incorporated within everyday items or worn on the person. Created for viewers of all ages and backgrounds—from the layperson to the scholar—the exhibit combines over 500 digital images of hearing devices, rare books, photographic prints, illustrations, advertising literature and patents to provide a unique glimpse into the evolution of hearing devices over the past two hundred years.

Deafness in Disguise was inspired by Max Goldstein's handwritten notes in describing his intent for the collection, "… such a collection should serve a more dignified and useful purpose than simply that of an exhibit of the many curious forms and devices created to exemplify the ideas of inventors."

The Image Gallery in Deafness in Disguise contains digital images of the bulk of the hearing device collection and includes all types of hearing devices, both mechanical and electronic, and can be searched by keyword or type of device. A drop-down menu of device types is available for the user to select from.

The Sonotone Model 400, manufactured in 1957, is an early model of a hearing device incorporated within eyeglasses. Copyright Bernard Becker Medical Library. Used with permission.

Select mechanical and electronic hearing devices from the collection can also be found in Exploring Object Virtual Reality: A Manual for Libraries and Museums [ http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/3D/index.html ] ,which features interactive, three-dimensional "movies" of 20 of the devices.

The hearing device collection is housed at the Washington University School of Medicine Bernard Becker Medical Library. For more information on the collection please contact Cathy Sarli [email protected] at Becker Library.

The Central Institute for the Deaf – Max A. Goldstein Historic Devices for Hearing Collection at Washington University Bernard Becker Medical Library web site is located at http://beckerexhibits.wustl.edu/did/index.htm.

Copyright^© 2006 Copyright Bernard Becker Medical Library

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doi:10.1045/september2006-featured.collection