The whole world it seemed, was ripe for communication with the dead. Spiritualist churches sprang up everywhere and persons with the special gift or "pipeline" to the "other side" were in great demand. These unique individuals, designated "mediums" because they acted as intermediaries between spirits and humans, invented a variety of interesting ways to communicate with the spirit world. Table turning (tilting) was one of these. The medium and attending sitters would rest their fingers lightly on a table and wait for spiritual contact. Soon the table would tilt and move and knock on the floor in a code to represent the different letters of the alphabet. Entire messages from the spirits could be spelled out in this way.

Another less noisy technique was a form of spirit writing employing a small basket with a pencil attached to one end. The medium simply had to touch the basket, establish contact, and the spirit would take over, writing the message from the Great Beyond. The pencil basket quickly evolved into the more sophisticated planchette, a small heart shaped table with two rotating casters underneath. A pencil at the apex formed the third leg. Legend has it that the inventor was M. Planchette a French medium, but this is doubtful considering the fact that no information on such a person exists and that the word "planchette" in French means "little plank."

The problem with table turning was that it took far too long to spell out messages. Sitters became bored when the novelty of a rocking table wore off and the chore of interpreting knocks began. Planchette writing was often difficult if not impossible to read. Just keeping the thing centered on the paper long enough to get a decipherable message was often a challenge. Consequently, many mediums simply dispensed with the spiritual apparatus altogether, preferring to transmit from the spirit world mentally in an altered state of consciousness called "trance." Others eliminated the planchette but kept the pencil, finding the hand a more precise and less troublesome writing instrument. But there were also those who felt that utilizing the right equipment was of paramount  importance if they were going to contact the spirit world properly. These resourceful individuals built interesting new alphanumeric gadgets (left), and bizarre looking table and pulley contraptions with moving needles and letter wheels (right). Thus was born the "talking board" or "talking table" depending on your perspective. It is clear that these early machines suffered from over-engineering if not lack of imagination. Called dial plate talking boards,  a few made it to the marketplace where they appeared under a variety of names and incarnations. 

By the 1880's, the planchette was a popular parlor game actively marketed by many US and European toy companies. The dial plate talking boards were virtually ignored. This was probably because planchettes were easier to make and could be sold inexpensively as novelties. Anyway, an interesting compromise was just around the corner. Three enterprising Americans: E.C. Reiche, Elijah Bond, and Charles Kennard came up with a concept that would bring it all together. Borrowing from the archetype of the earlier dial plate talking boards, they created an all new alphanumeric design. They spread the letters of the alphabet in twin arcs across the middle of the board. Below the letters were the numbers one to ten. In the corners were "YES" and "NO." They used a planchette like table (shaped more like a paddle) but instead of casters, used padded wooden pegs to permit a smooth glide over the surface of the board. All you had to do was connect to the spirit world and let the planchette move from letter to letter and spell out a message. According to some sources, Charles Kennard called the new board Ouija (pronounced 'wE-ja) after the Egyptian word for good luck. Ouija is not really Egyptian for good luck, but since the board reportedly told him it was during a session, the name stuck. He subsequently founded Kennard Novelty Company with borrowed money and in 1890 began producing the first ever commercial line of Ouija boards. His advertisements in local periodicals read:

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, Mass.

William Fuld changed the name of the firm to Ouija Novelty Company and with his brother and business partner Isaac, began manufacturing Ouija boards in record numbers. Isaac was subsequently fired from the company for alleged bookkeeping misdeeds, and the Ouija Novelty Company became finally the William Fuld Company. Isaac went on to produce and sell Ouija facsimiles called Oriole talking boards, along with pool and smoking tables out of his home. William went on to become the most successful Ouija manufacturer of his time, selling millions of Ouija boards, toys and other games. In addition to his toy business, he kept a job as a US customs inspector and later in life 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 Ouija 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. In all likelihood he simply thought apocryphal tales were a fun way to sell Ouija boards and to poke fun at a gullible press.

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 aggressively with lawsuits and by marketing a second, less expensive talking board, the Mystifying Oracle.

For thirty-five 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. Several eyewitnesses testified that it was nothing more than a tragic accident but rumor mongers eager to create a sensation suggested that William was despondent and had actually committed suicide.

After his death, William's children took over and developed many interesting Ouija versions of their own. In 1966, they retired and sold the business to Parker Brothers. Parker Brothers continued to produce an accurate Fuld replica and briefly even made a Deluxe Wooden Edition Ouija. They own all trademarks and patents to this day. 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?"

Today, as in the past, there are other companies who produce interesting variants of the Ouija 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.

See also: Ancient Ouija Boards: Fact or Fiction?

Copyright © 1996-2000 Museum of Talking Boards All Rights Reserved. Reprinted here by permission of the author.