Doormat Ouija Board

Description

Fun Trivia:  In February, 1891, the first few advertisements started appearing in papers:  “Ouija, the Wonderful talking board,”  as a novelty toy, describing a magical device that answered questions “about the past, present and future with marvelous accuracy” and other advertisements said more. Price, $1.50.”  The biggest difference between Ouija boards then and now is the material used; the board was all wood and now its is usually cardboard, and the planchette is plastic.

In its peak in the second half of the 19th century, Spiritualism reached millions of adherents. Then it was deemed compatible with Christian dogma, meaning one could hold a séance on Saturday night and have no qualms about going to church the next day. It was considered a wholesome activity to contact spirits at séances, through automatic writing, or table turning parties. It also offered solace in an era when the average lifespan was 50: Women died in childbirth; children died of disease; and men died in war. People were desperate to connect with loved ones who’d gone away to war and never come home.

Funny now they are feared