![]() ![]() Spiritualism, which had been around for years in Europe, hit America hard in 1848 with the sudden prominence of the Fox sisters of upstate New York the Foxes claimed to receive messages from spirits who rapped on the walls in answer to questions, recreating this feat of channeling in parlors across the state. The Ouija board, in fact, came straight out of the American 19th century obsession with spiritualism, the belief that the dead are able to communicate with the living. Ouija historian Robert Murch has been researching the story of the board since 1992 when he started his research, he says, no one really knew anything about its origins, which struck him as odd: “For such an iconic thing that strikes both fear and wonder in American culture, how can no one know where it came from?” The real history of the Ouija board is just about as mysterious as how the “game” works. Though truth in advertising is hard to come by, especially in products from the 19th century, the Ouija board was “interesting and mysterious” it actually had been “proven” to work at the Patent Office before its patent was allowed to proceed and today, even psychologists believe that it may offer a link between the known and the unknown. The biggest difference is in the materials the board is now usually cardboard, rather than wood, and the planchette is plastic. ![]() The idea was that two or more people would sit around the board, place their finger tips on the planchette, pose a question, and watch, dumbfounded, as the planchette moved from letter to letter, spelling out the answers seemingly of its own accord. ![]() This mysterious talking board was basically what’s sold in board game aisles today: A flat board with the letters of the alphabet arrayed in two semi-circles above the numbers 0 through 9 the words “yes” and “no” in the uppermost corners, “goodbye” at the bottom accompanied by a “planchette,” a teardrop-shaped device, usually with a small window in the body, used to maneuver about the board. Send us feedback about these examples.In February, 1891, the first few advertisements started appearing in papers: “Ouija, the Wonderful Talking Board,” boomed a Pittsburgh toy and novelty shop, describing a magical device that answered questions “about the past, present and future with marvelous accuracy” and promised “never-failing amusement and recreation for all the classes,” a link “between the known and unknown, the material and immaterial.” Another advertisement in a New York newspaper declared it “interesting and mysterious” and testified, “as sProven at Patent Office before it was allowed. These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'séance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Chris Hewitt, Los Angeles Times, 12 Aug. ![]() 2022 Yellowjackets has always operated at the nexus of the supernatural and psychological dysfunction, including Lottie smashing her head against a window during a seance. 2023 Sometimes rapping like a seeress in a trance, the Philly musician, aided by assorted collaborators, unsettles and uplifts with quiet, uncanny moments, as if holding a jazz/blues/rap seance, a communion of Black generations, a prayer for continuation. Noel Murray, Los Angeles Times, 9 June 2023 Hallström steers clear of cheesiness when following the clan’s seances and spiritual awakenings, while Jorming’s camera maintains a sense of feather-light otherworldliness, as well as its focus on putting the viewer in Hilma’s body, soul and headspace. Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 12 July 2023 Hock asks the party to join him in a seance, which gets interrupted by a shocking act of violence and the surprise arrival of a German immigrant neighbor, Hildy (Kristina Klebe), who may be a Nazi spy. Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 27 July 2023 If managing a set wasn’t daunting enough, Gordon also takes on her most central on-screen role to date as Rebecca-Diane, a teacher and lapsed performer with a deep love of songs and seances. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 24 July 2023 Jamie Lee Curtis as Madame Leota Jamie Lee Curtis, 64, stars as the iconic Madame Leota, a psychic who appears in the crystal ball during a seance. Recent Examples on the Web The main attraction is a seance, conducted by some friends. ![]()
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