OUIJA — A WONDERFUL TALKING BOARD Interesting and mysterious; surpasses in its results second sight, mind reading, clairvoyance; will give intelligent answer to any question. Proven at patent office before patent was allowed. Price $1.50. All first-class toy, dry goods, and stationary stores. W. S. Carr & Co., 83 Pearl street; New England News Co., 14 Franklin street; H. Partridge & Co., Hanover and Washington streets; R. Schwarz, 458 Washington street: R.H. White & Co.; Houghton & Dutton. —Hollis St. Theatre program, November 7, 1891, Boston, Massachusetts

Charles Kennard was not long for the Ouija business. Kennard’s partners, headed by powerful Baltimore capitalist Washington Bowie, withdrew his authorization to produce the Ouija board after only fourteen months. The firm continued under corporate control as the Ouija Novelty Company until 1898 and then appointed employee William Fuld, and his brother Isaac as manufacturers. With that single stroke of fate, William Fuld came to be the one history would forever remember as the father of the Ouija board. Charles Kennard remained marginally in the toy business and even produced and patented other talking boards but he is largely forgotten today.

William and Isaac Fuld embarked successfully on their new venture and manufactured Ouija boards in record numbers. Nevertheless, this business partnership was not to last. Ouija Novelty’s contract with the Fulds was for three years only. At the end of this period, William formed his own company—ended the partnership, and with that Isaac’s rights to produce the Ouija board ended also. A legal battle followed. The acrimony created a bitter family feud that was to last for generations. Isaac worked from his home workshop where he produced and sold Ouija facsimiles, called Oriole talking boards, and pool and smoking tables. Ouija Novelty collected revenues on the Ouija name from Willam Fuld and then in 1919 relinquished the remaining rights. William sold millions of Ouija boards, toys, and other games and kept a job as a US customs inspector. Later in life he became a member of Baltimore’s General Assembly.

One of William Fuld’s first public relations gimmicks, as master of his new company, was to reinvent the history of the talking board. He said that he himself had invented the board and that the name Ouija was a fusion of the French word “oui” for yes, and the German “ja” for yes. He also made other unlikely claims. Whether he took himself seriously is a matter lost to history. He may have thought apocryphal tales a fun way to sell Ouija boards and to poke fun at a gullible press.

For twenty-six years William Fuld ran the company through good times and bad. In February 1927, he climbed to the roof of his Harford Street factory in Baltimore to supervise the replacement of a flagpole. A support post that he was holding gave way and he fell backwards to his death. Following his death, William’s children took over and marketed many interesting Ouija versions of their own, including the rare and marvelous Art Deco Electric Mystifying Oracle. In 1966, they retired and sold the business to Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers produced an accurate Fuld reproduction and briefly even made a Deluxe Wooden Edition Ouija. They own all trademarks and patents to this day.

Almost from the beginning, William Fuld’s Ouija board suffered fierce competition from other toy makers. Everyone wanted to make a variation of the Wonderful Talking Board. Ouija imitations with names like “The Wireless Messenger” and I Do Psycho Ideograph, flooded the market. Some companies, like J.M. Simmons and Morton E. Converse & Son even used the Ouija name and the identical board layout. Fuld responded with legal threats and by marketing a second, less expensive talking board, the Mystifying Oracle.

The 1940s saw a virtual cornucopia of artistic and colorful talking boards. Perhaps the most beautiful were Haskelite’s Egyptian themed Mystic Boards and Mystic Trays. Other major players were two Chicago novelty companies, Gift Craft, and Lee Industries. Adorned with everything from wizards to cannibals, these talking boards were wonderful departures from Fuld’s simple number boards. Gift Craft’s popular Swami featured a flying carpet scene and a genii consulting a crystal ball. Lee’s Magic Marvel, done in eye-catching red and yellow, had four turbaned soothsayers, the zodiac, and a couple of grumpy demons thrown in just for luck. Love them or not, no one could call them boring.

Today, as in the past, there are companies that produce interesting variants of the talking board. Prevailing designs largely reflect current trends in New Age sentiment and manufacturers make every attempt to avoid any negative connotations. Some of these designs are simple letter boards, while others incorporate complex astrological and Tarot symbolism. With a few exceptions, manufacturing costs usually limit these boards to the folding cardboard variety.

In early 1999, Parker Brothers stopped manufacturing the classic Fuld Ouija board and switched to a smaller less detailed glow in the dark version. Gone is the faux bird’s eye maple lithograph and gone is the name William Fuld. Although some of us may morn its passing, we must remember the Parker Brothers slogan: “It’s only a game—isn’t it?

Now on to my view of the board. Personally i believe and think every single one of these boards should be pulled from stores such as Toys R us, I feel that allowing children access to this tool is wrong. No matter how it is marketed this is NOT a toy, it works exactly as it is promoted to work which is to contact the spirit realm.

I have heard so many stories of teens or young adults having spirit problems and the first question I always ask…Have you used a Quija board recently, nine times out of ten the answer is yes. People are using these boards and not knowing how it works for one and secondly how to close the circle or doorway once your done. They play it like it is a game, which is how it is marketed. My personal advice NEVER use one and if you have, take the board outside and burn it, cleanse your home and get rid of any left over energy or spirit that is left behind. To use one of these boards you need to know what your doing, what doorways your opening and stop hanging out an ALL IS WELCOME sign when u do use one. If you have any issues with a spirit or you would like to talk more about the Quija, please feel free to email me anytime at readingsbyjody.com. Help is always available on this and many more topics on the website so feel free to visit and email us again the website is readingsbyjody.com I hope you give serious thought before you open or get involved with this board, as stated above it is NOT a toy and should be removed from all shelves. My humble opinion….Angels Bless…Jody ( owner and expert on readingsbyjody.com)