In 1848 Two sisters by the name of Kate and Margret Fox began to heat strange rapping’s in their bedroom, They soon contacted the spirit of a deceased peddler and became known around as the founders of modern spiritualism.

The whole world it would seem was fascinated and wanted to make contact for themselves with the other side.

A revolution was born….

The Ouija, a harmless game or gateway to evil ? Over the last century we have been presented with countless stories from around the globe all depicting the Ouija in a certain light. Personal belief systems around the world all shed a different light on how the Ouija is portrayed, the 1973 movie the Exorcist set in motion a mass hysteria around the globe that portrayed the Ouija as nothing more than a doorway to hell, while the writings of Patience worth obtained by Pearl Curran beginning in 1913 would form a life long friendship and some of the most profound writings ever produced through the use of a Ouija board.

While the reputation of the Ouija is shrouded is mystery its history is as equally fascinating.

Elijah J. Bond a name that will forever be etched into history as the inventor of the Ouija Board. The First Patent was filed on May 28, 1890 and Granted on February 10, 1891 with Bond listed as the inventor and the assignees, Charles W. Kennard and William H. A. Maupin, Both residing in Baltimore, Maryland.

Charles Kennard called this new board Ouija ( the pronounced we-ja ) after he was told at sitting this was the Egyptian word for good luck. Although this is not the case the name stuck. Many people also theorise the board named its self after the French and German words oui and ja meaning “ yes yes” but this is unlikely.

Kennard and his associates incorporated as the Kennard Novelty Company and began producing the first line of commercial Ouija boards. Kennard would not last within the business, his partners lead by Baltimore Capitalist Washington Bowie decided to yield the further manufacturing of the boards bringing the business to a halt after only fourteen short months.

The Firm would hold corporate control as the Ouija novelty company until 1898 when William Fuld and his brother Isaac would be appointed as the new manufacturers.

This single moment would change the course of William Fulds life and he would forever be known as the father of the Ouija board. Unfortunately for Charles Kennard his later patents of the Ouija would be largely forgotten in this story.

Together William and his Brother Isaac successfully manufactured Ouija boards in record numbers. Through history the Ouija has been the only game to ever out sell Monopoly.

Unfortunately the partnership did not last , the contract to manufacture the boards only lasted three short years and at the closure of the contact William formed his own company and ended Isaacs right to continue to produce boards also. A legal battle followed that created a bitter family feud that would last in excess of many years.

Isaac worked from home producing Oriole talking boards, pool and smoking tables.

The Ouija Novelty Company collected revenues on the Ouija name from Fuld and then in 1919 relinquished the remaining rights. William Fuld sold millions of Ouija boards and other games and kept his job as a customs inspector.

In later years he would become a member of Baltimore’s General Assembly.
For twenty long years Fuld saw the company though the good and bad. February of 1927 would see the death of William Fuld falling to his death while supervising a replacement of a flagpole on his roof.

Following Williams sad and untimely death his children took over and ran the company marketing many of their own interesting versions of the Ouija board, some now very rare collectables. In 1966 they retired and sold the company to Parker Brothers. The Parker Brothers Company went on to produce an accurate reproduction of Fuld boards and for a short time even manufactured a deluxe Limited edition version of the Ouija.

Parker Brother own all the trademarks and patents to this day.

From Day one Fuld’s board suffered highly from the constant competition of other competitors, everyone wanted a make or improve the Ouija board and cash in on the craze. Some company’s like J.M Simmons and Morton E. Converse & Sons thought it wise to directly make an identical board in name and layout, but Fuld swiftly responded with legal threats and by marketing a secondary less expensive version of the board names the Mystifying Oracle.

By the 1940’s there was a steady supply of Ouija boards and the artistic flair and ingenuity of more modern makers was certainly showing. Boards were now showing Egyptian themes and everything from crystal balls to cannibals and also demons like them or not they were a breath of fresh air from Fuld more simplistic design.

The year 1999 saw parker brothers stop manufacturing the classic style of Fuld more original designs and incorporate a smaller glow in the dark version marketed to a much younger generation than in times past.

Today like in times gone by there are many companies that produce artistes variations of the Ouija, a lot of boards focusing on designs to follow the latest trend and trying hard to dispel the negativity that surrounds this mysterious game.

Robert Merch is one of the leading authorities on the ouija board and more information can be found at www.williamfuld.com

Picture also courtesy of William Fuld.com