William Fuld said the Ouija board told him to build a factory. The address of the plant he opened in 1918 is still printed on the bottom of this set’s blue-ghost box. The set brings together the talking board, its wooden pointer, called a planchette, and the box.
The factory stood at Harford Avenue, Lamont Avenue and Federal Street in Baltimore. In February 1927 Fuld was supervising work on a flagpole on its roof when an iron support gave way. He died from the fall. His family continued the business and retained it until the sale to Parker Brothers in 1966.
The Baltimore-based Kennard Novelty Company registered the Ouija name in 1891. Fuld, an early employee and stockholder, eventually ran the business. In 1920 he claimed that the board had made him more than a million dollars; the following year he trademarked “We-ja,” its pronunciation.
One printed blurb on the box promises “never failing amusement and recreation for the entire family.” The directions offer “the latest and most scientific method of fortune telling,” with a warning that anyone who laughs at it will “naturally get undeveloped influences around you.” The hooded blue figure appeared on the lid in 1941. Talking-board historian Robert Murch has noted its resemblance to Eternal Silence, Lorado Taft’s bronze of a hooded figure in Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. The connection remains unproved.
On this box the figure survives intact, although the edges and corners are heavily worn. The board’s printing is bright, with a smiling sun beside YES and a crescent moon beside NO. The board itself is a later type than the box, thin Masonite of the 1950s, so the three parts were probably brought together after they left the factory.
WILLIAM FULD (firm). OUIJA. The Mystifying Oracle. Wonderful Talking Board. William Fuld • Baltimore, Md. U.S.A. [Box c. 1941–1950; board 1950s]. Talking board, planchette and box. The board reads "OUIJA / Trade-Mark / The Mystifying Oracle / Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." and, at the foot, "William Fuld, Baltimore, Md., U.S.A. / D. Pat. 114,534." The planchette is stamped "OUIJA / Trade Mark / D. Pat. No. 56,001 / Made by / William Fuld / Baltimore, Md. / U.S.A."
Physical Description: Board: thin rectangular Masonite, the front faced with printed faux-woodgrain paper, the back bare; printed in black. A smiling sun sits beside YES at upper left, and a crescent moon with a face and a star beside NO at upper right. The alphabet runs in two arcs above the numerals and GOOD BYE. The lower corners show a spirit medium with her hands over a planchette, and a floating head at lower right. Planchette: wooden, heart-shaped, stamped in black, with a round clear window held by two wire clips and a pin pointer at its center; on felt pads. Box: printed pasteboard, the lid in blue and cream on black with the hooded figure among stars. Three side panels read "OUIJA knows all the Answers," "Try your Mystic Touch with OUIJA" and "Go "Psychic" with OUIJA." The bottom carries the directions, "Copyright 1919," "D. Pat. No. 114,534," an oval vignette of a couple at the board, two advertising blurbs and the factory address.
Condition: Board: both upper corners chipped, exposing the brown hardboard, with the paper lifting from the board at one upper corner and along part of an edge; edges rubbed; a few small specks and marks on the surface; the printing crisp and bright. Planchette: light wear, a small stain near the tip; the window is scratched and clouded, with some residue at its rim. Box: worn hard. The lid has a large chip along its left edge with loss to the paper and the board beneath, cracking and creasing across the printed surface, scattered scuffs, and splits at the edges and corners. The "Go "Psychic"" side is split along its length with tears and small losses. The other sides are rubbed and split at the corners. One corner of the bottom is torn away with loss to the adjoining wall, and the tear reaches the right-hand printed blurb. Overall toning and some staining.
William Fuld said the Ouija board told him to build a factory. The address of the plant he opened in 1918 is still printed on the bottom of this set’s blue-ghost box. The set brings together the talking board, its wooden pointer, called a planchette, and the box.
The factory stood at Harford Avenue, Lamont Avenue and Federal Street in Baltimore. In February 1927 Fuld was supervising work on a flagpole on its roof when an iron support gave way. He died from the fall. His family continued the business and retained it until the sale to Parker Brothers in 1966.
The Baltimore-based Kennard Novelty Company registered the Ouija name in 1891. Fuld, an early employee and stockholder, eventually ran the business. In 1920 he claimed that the board had made him more than a million dollars; the following year he trademarked “We-ja,” its pronunciation.
One printed blurb on the box promises “never failing amusement and recreation for the entire family.” The directions offer “the latest and most scientific method of fortune telling,” with a warning that anyone who laughs at it will “naturally get undeveloped influences around you.” The hooded blue figure appeared on the lid in 1941. Talking-board historian Robert Murch has noted its resemblance to Eternal Silence, Lorado Taft’s bronze of a hooded figure in Chicago’s Graceland Cemetery. The connection remains unproved.
On this box the figure survives intact, although the edges and corners are heavily worn. The board’s printing is bright, with a smiling sun beside YES and a crescent moon beside NO. The board itself is a later type than the box, thin Masonite of the 1950s, so the three parts were probably brought together after they left the factory.
WILLIAM FULD (firm). OUIJA. The Mystifying Oracle. Wonderful Talking Board. William Fuld • Baltimore, Md. U.S.A. [Box c. 1941–1950; board 1950s]. Talking board, planchette and box. The board reads "OUIJA / Trade-Mark / The Mystifying Oracle / Reg. U.S. Pat. Off." and, at the foot, "William Fuld, Baltimore, Md., U.S.A. / D. Pat. 114,534." The planchette is stamped "OUIJA / Trade Mark / D. Pat. No. 56,001 / Made by / William Fuld / Baltimore, Md. / U.S.A."
Physical Description: Board: thin rectangular Masonite, the front faced with printed faux-woodgrain paper, the back bare; printed in black. A smiling sun sits beside YES at upper left, and a crescent moon with a face and a star beside NO at upper right. The alphabet runs in two arcs above the numerals and GOOD BYE. The lower corners show a spirit medium with her hands over a planchette, and a floating head at lower right. Planchette: wooden, heart-shaped, stamped in black, with a round clear window held by two wire clips and a pin pointer at its center; on felt pads. Box: printed pasteboard, the lid in blue and cream on black with the hooded figure among stars. Three side panels read "OUIJA knows all the Answers," "Try your Mystic Touch with OUIJA" and "Go "Psychic" with OUIJA." The bottom carries the directions, "Copyright 1919," "D. Pat. No. 114,534," an oval vignette of a couple at the board, two advertising blurbs and the factory address.
Condition: Board: both upper corners chipped, exposing the brown hardboard, with the paper lifting from the board at one upper corner and along part of an edge; edges rubbed; a few small specks and marks on the surface; the printing crisp and bright. Planchette: light wear, a small stain near the tip; the window is scratched and clouded, with some residue at its rim. Box: worn hard. The lid has a large chip along its left edge with loss to the paper and the board beneath, cracking and creasing across the printed surface, scattered scuffs, and splits at the edges and corners. The "Go "Psychic"" side is split along its length with tears and small losses. The other sides are rubbed and split at the corners. One corner of the bottom is torn away with loss to the adjoining wall, and the tear reaches the right-hand printed blurb. Overall toning and some staining.
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