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This is interesting.
People collect all kinds of things.
I am curious how, when, and why you started collecting boards.
Bob.
I think I started collecting them initially because they did freak me out a bit. However, once I really delved into the history of the talking board, I learned so many fascinating things. For instance, the board was born in the Victorian era when Spiritualism was thriving in America. The boards became imensely popular and were never seen as evil or demonic. They became a parlor game to be enjoyed by everyone, inclufing families. During and after WW1, they experienced a resurgence in popularity, as they did again in the 1940s and again in the 1960s. As a mater of fact, during each resergence of popularity, the folk art on the boards followed the trends of what paranormal theme wad popular. Like in the 1940s the boards were adorned with swamiis and egyptian scenes, and the boards from the 1960s followed the astrology craze in its art work. Very old boards were often covered with occultic good luck symbols like the swastika which had a positive connotation before the Naxis took and then perverted what had once been a good luck symbol. The Museum of Talking boards is an awesome repository of info and history on the boards- Museum of Talking Boards: An Online Museum of Ouija Boards as is WilliamFuld.com - The Official Website of William Fuld and Home of the Ouija Board! .
It wasn't until the 1970s with the release of The Exorcist that ouija boards began to been seen as sinister, negative, and demonic.
Yes, don't mess with it. I've seen bad things happen with those boards, I haven't seen or heard of them in years. Back in the day we had a lot of seances, the whole Mary Worth, light as feather and the Ouija board, bad things happened everytime. It's freaking me out now just thinking of it. I don't play with that stuff anymore.
Hello, I collect Ouija/Talking boards. I think they are an amazing form of folk art and they covey quite a bit about our history. I have several boards that date back to the Victorian age and the beginning of Spiritualism, as well as modern ones, and many in between. Although I am a passionate collector, I never play with them and in fact, never have. Obviously eventhough I have a bedroom filled with probably close to a hundred boards, I have never experienced any wierdness in my home, no haunting type activity at all. I do believe that spirits and non-human malevolent entities do exist, however I have never experienced anything of the sort.
Well, I often find my boards on Ebay. This last week I found a type of board I collect and I won the auction and it is on its way to my home via UPS. What's different this time is the seller of the board claims it has an "attatchment" and that the board is haunted and that she experienced paranormal activity after she brought it into her home. I don't know wether to laugh(my first reaction), or to actually be concerned. Could this board really bring activity into my home? Is this woman only trying to market her item in a clever way? Should I "smudge" the board? As I said before, I have a house filled with Ouija boards and have never had any paranormal activity. So, should I be concerned?
OK first let me say that you do have an interesting hobby and I agree that they are a form of folk art. I am very interested in the spiritualist movement and in it's Social History.You are not the first one I have heard of who collects them. I understand your interest and I'd like to see your collection!
I can't say that it does or does not have a spiritual attachment. You did not say if you use the boards. I hope you don't.
I would not collect talking boards because of my history with them. As a teenager I had some very bad experiences so I don't think it would be a good hobby for me, although I admilre the 18th and early 19th century folk art.
It could have been a marketing ploy OR she could have been warning people.
I would not use it, suffice to say and if you do want to keep it, i'd cleanse it in salt water, bless it according to your religious background or your former relkigious bavk ground. I would nat handle it after this and I would not permit other to do so.
Then, if possible I'd keep it behind glass and perhas surround it with camphor. Moth balls will do.
If you need ideas about how to bless or cleanse it, I'd be happy to assist you. I can heplp you with blessings in the Christian and Jewish traditions. Either should help.
I keep hearing people say that these boards are somehow evil but I don't understand how these boards could have been regularly used as a family parlor game, Norman Rockwell even did a cover for the Saturday Eve. Post w two kids playing with one, and nobody saw them az evil. It wasn't until the Exorcist came out that the board became associated with evil.
For the posters who have had negative experiences, did you hear of a bad time someone had with one or did you personally have a negative experience? If you did have a frightening time, could you please explain a little of your experience? I love collecting the boards because they are quickly becoming obsolete, and I love antiques, especially from the Victorian era. They are awedome dipictions of folk art. I don't use them though and I have never had anything bad happen from having them around. I was just a little unnerved to hear my new board may come with a visitor. She said after she got the board that she heard random conversations, footsteps at odd hours, items would go missing, and mechanical things would be broken. She said the spirit was not evil though. I guess I will judt sage smudge the board when I finally get it.
OK first let me say that you do have an interesting hobby and I agree that they are a form of folk art. I am very interested in the spiritualist movement and in it's Social History.You are not the first one I have heard of who collects them. I understand your interest and I'd like to see your collection!
I can't say that it does or does not have a spiritual attachment. You did not say if you use the boards. I hope you don't.
I would not collect talking boards because of my history with them. As a teenager I had some very bad experiences so I don't think it would be a good hobby for me, although I admilre the 18th and early 19th century folk art.
It could have been a marketing ploy OR she could have been warning people.
I would not use it, suffice to say and if you do want to keep it, i'd cleanse it in salt water, bless it according to your religious background or your former relkigious bavk ground. I would nat handle it after this and I would not permit other to do so.
Then, if possible I'd keep it behind glass and perhas surround it with camphor. Moth balls will do.
If you need ideas about how to bless or cleanse it, I'd be happy to assist you. I can heplp you with blessings in the Christian and Jewish traditions. Either should help.
Thank you for your kind post and advice. I did not see your post until I finished my last one so forgive the redundence(sp?). I think I originally mentioned that no, I don't use/play with the boards, I never have. I just love the art and symbology. I too am very interested by Victorian history. I just bought a book on Amazon about the Victorians and the occult, fascinating stuff! I think I will pm you for advice on how to handle this particular board, if that's okay with you?
can you post some photos? the only ouija boards i have ever seen were just the old parker brothers variety. a victorian ouija board? ooooooooohhhhhhhhh.
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As I mentoned before, I never have to worry about something negative or scary happening because I never actually use the boards. I have met people before that were quite concerned by my hobby as they felt it could be dangerous to even have the boards in my home, but I've never ever experienced anything remotely paranormal.
Actually it's quite beautiful and interesting. How old is it?
Your intention maters a lot. If you are not using it or any of them, and you have no intention of doing so - which I hope you do not, I think you are OK.
However I would bless, smudge and sequester the board.
can you post some photos? the only ouija boards i have ever seen were just the old parker brothers variety. a victorian ouija board? ooooooooohhhhhhhhh.
My husband and I visit a great pizza place. They have one bathroom that has an ouija board including Tarot cards, Creeps me out every time I'm in there. Though I will say she also has some creepy pictures which doesn't help. All I feel is sadness going on in there, very old building, and no I'm not psychic.
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