William Fuld
Encyclopedia
William Fuld was an American
businessman, inventor, and entrepreneur from Baltimore
, Maryland
who is best known for his marketing and manufacture of Ouija board
s from the 1890s through the 1920s. Fuld is seen as the father of the Ouija board. Though Fuld never claimed to have invented the Ouija board, intense media coverage in the 1920s credited him with it. The misinformation was sustained by his own marketing, and his practice of stamping "Original Ouija Board" and "Inventor" on the back of his boards. By the end of his life he would have over 33 patent
s, trademark
s, and copyrights credited to him.
William Fuld was one of ten children. By the age of 26, he was working as a customs
inspector in his hometown of Baltimore. Fuld also worked as a varnish
er which led to his job as foreman at the Kennard Novelty Co. which was founded on October 30, 1890, the same year that Elijah Bond
filed the first patent for a talking board. This patent was assigned to William H. A. Maupin and Charles W. Kennard.
For reasons unknown Kennard was removed from his company in 1891. By 1892 Fuld had taken over as supervisor and the company changed its name to The Ouija Novelty Company and moved into a new location. William Fuld filed for his first talking board patent in the same year. Under the direction of Fuld, the company increased production of Ouija boards to meet the growing demand and thwarted many of Kennard's attempts to manufacture other talking boards.
In 1898, William and his brother Isaac went into business together under the name Isaac Fuld & Brother, leasing the "Ouija" name from The Ouija Novelty Company. In addition to talking boards, the brothers also manufactured pool tables and other billiards
accessories. William was the first person to file a trademark for the term "Return Pool" table.
By 1901, the brothers' partnership had ended in a bitter feud. William Fuld changed the name of his company to the William Fuld Manufacturing Company. Going against an injunction
, Isaac continued to manufacture talking boards under the name "Oriole" that were exact replicas of the boards that he and his brother had made. William sued his brother in a case that remained open until 1919.
William Fuld’s first talking board trademark, "Oracle", was filed in 1902. A crafty businessman, Fuld sued companies whose talking boards infringed on his trademarks or patents. It cannot be said whether or not he actually took himself seriously. However his numerous publicity stunt
s made the talking board a very successful product for Fuld, claiming in 1920 that the Ouija board had made him more than $1 million in profit.
In order to combat the growing competition for other talking board manufacturers, Fuld knew that if he himself made a cheaper version of his own product he would get more business. In 1919, he introduced the "Mystifying Oracle", an exact replica of his Ouija board that sold for less money. He also launched a line of trademarked Ouija jewelry and Ouija Oil for rheumatism
. Fuld also trademarked the names "Egyptian Luck board", "Hindu Luck board" and "WE-JA" as well as a trademark detailing the way the word "Ouija" would be displayed.
William Fuld became a member of the Baltimore General Assembly in 1924. On February 24, 1927, Fuld climbed to the roof of his three-story factory to supervise the installation of a flagpole. When the rail against which he was leaning gave way, Fuld fell to the ground below. While being transported, a fracture
d rib
pierced his heart
and William Fuld died at the hospital.
After his death, Fuld's children would take over the company. Catherine and William A. Fuld ran the company until the youngest brother, Hubert, became president of William Fuld Inc. in 1942. Parker Brothers
acquired the company and all of its assets in 1966.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman, inventor, and entrepreneur from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
who is best known for his marketing and manufacture of Ouija board
Ouija Board
Ouija Board is a Thoroughbred mare racehorse owned by Edward Stanley, 19th Earl of Derby and trained by Ed Dunlop. In a career spanning four seasons, she won 10 of her 22 races, 7 of them Group 1s, including the Epsom Oaks in 2004 and the Hong Kong Vase in 2005...
s from the 1890s through the 1920s. Fuld is seen as the father of the Ouija board. Though Fuld never claimed to have invented the Ouija board, intense media coverage in the 1920s credited him with it. The misinformation was sustained by his own marketing, and his practice of stamping "Original Ouija Board" and "Inventor" on the back of his boards. By the end of his life he would have over 33 patent
Patent
A patent is a form of intellectual property. It consists of a set of exclusive rights granted by a sovereign state to an inventor or their assignee for a limited period of time in exchange for the public disclosure of an invention....
s, trademark
Trademark
A trademark, trade mark, or trade-mark is a distinctive sign or indicator used by an individual, business organization, or other legal entity to identify that the products or services to consumers with which the trademark appears originate from a unique source, and to distinguish its products or...
s, and copyrights credited to him.
William Fuld was one of ten children. By the age of 26, he was working as a customs
Customs
Customs is an authority or agency in a country responsible for collecting and safeguarding customs duties and for controlling the flow of goods including animals, transports, personal effects and hazardous items in and out of a country...
inspector in his hometown of Baltimore. Fuld also worked as a varnish
Varnish
Varnish is a transparent, hard, protective finish or film primarily used in wood finishing but also for other materials. Varnish is traditionally a combination of a drying oil, a resin, and a thinner or solvent. Varnish finishes are usually glossy but may be designed to produce satin or semi-gloss...
er which led to his job as foreman at the Kennard Novelty Co. which was founded on October 30, 1890, the same year that Elijah Bond
Elijah Bond
Elijah Jefferson Bond was an American lawyer and inventor.Although he invented and patented items including a steam boiler, he is best remembered for patenting what became known as the Ouija Board. He filed for a United States patent on May 28, 1890. Charles W. Kennard and William H. A. Maupin...
filed the first patent for a talking board. This patent was assigned to William H. A. Maupin and Charles W. Kennard.
For reasons unknown Kennard was removed from his company in 1891. By 1892 Fuld had taken over as supervisor and the company changed its name to The Ouija Novelty Company and moved into a new location. William Fuld filed for his first talking board patent in the same year. Under the direction of Fuld, the company increased production of Ouija boards to meet the growing demand and thwarted many of Kennard's attempts to manufacture other talking boards.
In 1898, William and his brother Isaac went into business together under the name Isaac Fuld & Brother, leasing the "Ouija" name from The Ouija Novelty Company. In addition to talking boards, the brothers also manufactured pool tables and other billiards
Billiards
Cue sports , also known as billiard sports, are a wide variety of games of skill generally played with a cue stick which is used to strike billiard balls, moving them around a cloth-covered billiards table bounded by rubber .Historically, the umbrella term was billiards...
accessories. William was the first person to file a trademark for the term "Return Pool" table.
By 1901, the brothers' partnership had ended in a bitter feud. William Fuld changed the name of his company to the William Fuld Manufacturing Company. Going against an injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
, Isaac continued to manufacture talking boards under the name "Oriole" that were exact replicas of the boards that he and his brother had made. William sued his brother in a case that remained open until 1919.
William Fuld’s first talking board trademark, "Oracle", was filed in 1902. A crafty businessman, Fuld sued companies whose talking boards infringed on his trademarks or patents. It cannot be said whether or not he actually took himself seriously. However his numerous publicity stunt
Publicity stunt
A publicity stunt is a planned event designed to attract the public's attention to the event's organizers or their cause. Publicity stunts can be professionally organized or set up by amateurs...
s made the talking board a very successful product for Fuld, claiming in 1920 that the Ouija board had made him more than $1 million in profit.
In order to combat the growing competition for other talking board manufacturers, Fuld knew that if he himself made a cheaper version of his own product he would get more business. In 1919, he introduced the "Mystifying Oracle", an exact replica of his Ouija board that sold for less money. He also launched a line of trademarked Ouija jewelry and Ouija Oil for rheumatism
Rheumatism
Rheumatism or rheumatic disorder is a non-specific term for medical problems affecting the joints and connective tissue. The study of, and therapeutic interventions in, such disorders is called rheumatology.-Terminology:...
. Fuld also trademarked the names "Egyptian Luck board", "Hindu Luck board" and "WE-JA" as well as a trademark detailing the way the word "Ouija" would be displayed.
William Fuld became a member of the Baltimore General Assembly in 1924. On February 24, 1927, Fuld climbed to the roof of his three-story factory to supervise the installation of a flagpole. When the rail against which he was leaning gave way, Fuld fell to the ground below. While being transported, a fracture
Fracture
A fracture is the separation of an object or material into two, or more, pieces under the action of stress.The word fracture is often applied to bones of living creatures , or to crystals or crystalline materials, such as gemstones or metal...
d rib
Rib
In vertebrate anatomy, ribs are the long curved bones which form the rib cage. In most vertebrates, ribs surround the chest, enabling the lungs to expand and thus facilitate breathing by expanding the chest cavity. They serve to protect the lungs, heart, and other internal organs of the thorax...
pierced his heart
Heart
The heart is a myogenic muscular organ found in all animals with a circulatory system , that is responsible for pumping blood throughout the blood vessels by repeated, rhythmic contractions...
and William Fuld died at the hospital.
After his death, Fuld's children would take over the company. Catherine and William A. Fuld ran the company until the youngest brother, Hubert, became president of William Fuld Inc. in 1942. Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers
Parker Brothers is a toy and game manufacturer and brand. Since 1883, the company has published more than 1,800 games; among their best known products are Monopoly, Cluedo , Sorry, Risk, Trivial Pursuit, Ouija, Aggravation, and Probe...
acquired the company and all of its assets in 1966.
Sources
- The Official Website of William Fuld and home of the Ouija board
- Museum of Talking Board's History of the Talking Board
- Hunt, Stoker. Ouija: The Most Dangerous Game. 1992 ISBN 0-06-092350-4