The CID – Max A. Goldstein Collection in Speech and Hearing comprises more than 900 titles about the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the ear, nose and throat; deafness, speech and hearing; and even about curious subjects such as physiognomy, phrenology, and chiromancy. They cover a broad span of time, from the turn of the 16th century to the mid-20th century.
The collection was assembled by Max Aaron Goldstein, founder of the Central Institute for the Deaf (CID), and was assembled mainly between 1922 and 1939 during the course of his European travels. He kept handwritten cards for each volume containing bibliographic data, the names of booksellers; and the places, dates, and purchase prices, which provide information about Dr. Goldstein’s collecting habits and the European book trade.
Works in this collection include Ulyssis Aldrovandi’s Monstotum historia, which contains images of numerous mythical creatures; the Phonurgia nova by Athanasius Kircher, the first published book to deal with the nature of sound, acoustics, and music; and William Harvey’s treatise on embryology.
If you would like more information about the collection, please visit the digital exhibit Rare Books at Becker.