Category Archives: Toys & Games

Creepy Doll 2020 Contest Is Open

20 Tuesday Oct 2020

Posted by in Dolls, History, Midnight.FM, Toys & Games

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The History Center of Olmsted County (Rochester, MN) held a Creepy Doll 2019 Contest last year. The “contestants” were vintage, old, and well-worn. The contest was very popular, with a circa 1850’s handmade doll missing her right arm winning. (See https://thehauntedlibrarian.com/2019/10/25/creepy-doll-contest/) All nine dolls were placed on exhibit. This year offers nine new—well, technically old—dolls for consideration. In-person voting started on October 1st, and virtual voting runs October 14-24 (links below). The winning doll will be announced on October 28th and will be crowned on Halloween. Learn more about the dolls Thursday, October 22nd when Dan Nowakowski, Curator at the History Center, joins me on The Haunted Librarian Show.

Dolls 1, 2, and 3.

Doll 1: Arsenic and Old Lace; Doll 2: Squeaks; and Doll 3: Stanley Kubrick are displayed above.

Dolls 4, 5, and 6.

Doll 4: Bela Lugosi; Doll 5: Frankenstein; and Doll 6: Shirley Jackson are displayed above.

Dolls 7, 8, and 9.

Doll 7: Victorian; Doll 8: Lady MacBeth; and Doll 9: Mrs. Danvers are displayed above.

Each doll sits in themed vignettes with information regarding provenance, materials, and information regarding the doll. It is quite exciting to see these dolls on display! The center has come up with a clever way to pass down stories of former residents while exposing the collection to a wider audience.

Toy dolls remain popular. According to The Toy Association, retail sales of dolls in the U.S. in 2019 topped $3.22 billion dollars and accounted for nearly 12% of the $27 billion dollar industry. Unfortunately, most dolls don’t make their way into historical centers. That’s why this collection is important. It chronologizes the history of the county.

Although last year, I had a clear favorite, this year is a challenge. I’m leaning toward one of the porcelain beauties. I look forward to voting!

Tune in every Thursday at 9 PM EST on Midnight.FM as I chat with people who are working in the strange and unique.

For more information and to vote, visit:

Website: https://www.olmstedhistory.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OlmstedHistoryCenter/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/olmstedhistorycenter/

Creepy Doll Contest

25 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by in Dolls, Toys & Games

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The History Center of Olmsted County (Rochester, Minnesota) is holding a Facebook contest: What is the creepiest doll in their collection? Nine dolls were featured, one a day, for Facebook users to vote for. The top three dolls will be on display during the Halloween Week. Personally, I think all of them should be on display.

Each doll is unique. The dolls were donated to the museum and run the gamut in terms of material and age. Curator Dan Nowakowski posted pictures and videos of the dolls, which are still posted for viewing.

My favorite is a handmade doll circa 1850. The head was made of cloth and then painted flesh tone. Over time, the paint has chipped off making the doll appear faceless. She’s also missing her right arm. How creepy is that! (Actually, she’s very sad looking, in need of the Cleaner in Toy Story 2.)

Generally, dolls were not made to creep kids out. They have been made from all types of materials. The only criterion is that they resemble human form. In 2017, news broke that a soapstone doll’s head was found in a child’s grave in the Republic of Khakassia, in southern Siberia. This doll dates back 4,500 years to the Bronze Age, thus making it the oldest doll ever discovered. Another doll that was dated 4,000 years old was found on the Italian island Pantelleria in 2004. Before then, archeologists had discovered dolls all the way back to Ancient Egypt (2000 BC). Dolls are considered the first type of toys made.

Most people are not afraid of dolls (pediophobia). Instead, dolls make people uneasy. More females (66%) fear dolls compared to males (34%). Children and teenagers, under the age of 18 fear dolls at 45%. That number drops 1 percent to 44% for people ages 18-34. The older someone gets, the least likely he fears dolls. Which is interesting since dolls were essentially made for children.

Dolls are an easy target for horror movies. But have no fear; most are harmless.

Peruse the gallery images here: https://www.facebook.com/pg/OlmstedHistoryCenter/photos/?tab=album&album_id=10156992913154263&ref=page_internal

The Wonderful Talking Board, Part 2

18 Friday Apr 2014

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Ouija Board

Ouija Board

The Wonderful Talking Board, Part 2

The “Talking Board” was patented under the Toy/Game Section. Kennard Novelty Company brought a medium to the Patent Office in order to demonstrate. And the Ouija Board performed. Patent granted. And the Ouija Board became a multi-million dollar seller. But in 1973 the Ouija Board’s reputation turned forever.

The Exorcist brought the true essence of the board to the attention of international movie-goers. Religious bodies worldwide took notice and began cautioning parishioners about its use. But does it really work? No. Spoiler: A spirit does not communicate via the board.

Researchers claim the board works via the “Ideomotor Effect.” Simply put, the participants’ subconscious movements cause the planchette to move. Participants’ expectations are the driving force at play. Further, the participants are the ones who respond not a spirit. While perusing the Internet for information, I found an interesting article with the “Rule of Play” for the Ouija Board. Even though I am ardent about its disuse, I believe a short primer for those who ignore the warning is in order. According to RelativelyIntersting.com (http://www.relativelyinteresting.com/do-ouija-boards-really-work-spoiler-alert-they-dont/), the Rules are:

  1. Ouija Board Rule #1
    Never play with the Ouija board alone.
  2. Ouija Board Rule #2
    Do not allow the planchette to count down through the numbers or backwards through the alphabet.
  3. Ouija Board Rule #3
    Always place a silver object upon the Ouija board before playing.
  4. Ouija Board Rule #4
    Never, ever mention “God,” as it is believed that entities contacted through the Ouija Board are generally “evil” in nature.
  5. Ouija Board Rule #5
    When you are done playing, say “goodbye.”

Please visit the above-referenced link for explanations. They are quite candid. The Ouija Board can act as a portal or opening for lingering spirits to come through. If they do, their intentions are BAD. So while the spirit is not communicating by moving the planchette, the spirit may be waiting for user error in order to do its business once the board is put away.

Listen to the Archer Paranormal Radio episode where the API gals discuss the Ouija Board. It is educational, enlightening, and highly entertaining.

 

A Brief Interlude

18 Friday Apr 2014

Posted by in Angels, Famous People, Ghost Hunting, Religion, Toys & Games

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Cima da Conegliano, God the Father

Cima da Conegliano, God the Father

Brief Interlude—The Importance of God

Before posting Part 2 on the Ouija Board, I wanted to take a brief interlude. An “interlude” is anything that fills time between two events. Most, if not all, paranormal investigators steer clear of Ouija Boards. Nothing good comes with their play. However, some of our clients do dabble with the game—even if they adamantly deny it. Bad things come out with the board. And only a strong firm belief in the Lord combats the evil.

All ghost hunters need to have a firm belief in God. It is a necessity for the job. I am always cautious of people who believe in the Devil but who aren’t “religious.” You cannot have the Devil without the Lord. The universe is a balance between good and evil, light and dark, and God versus the Devil. It doesn’t matter if you regularly attend church, you must believe that God is the Supreme Being. The End.

But what should you be doing? You should be praying to talk with God AND meditating to hear His instructions. Prayer + Meditation = God’s instructions. The angels who look after you are directly linked to God. You don’t have to memorize the Bible. You don’t have to quote scripture. But you must believe!

The Wonderful Talking Board, Part 1

10 Thursday Apr 2014

Posted by in Artists, Artwork, Famous People, Ghost Hunting, Paranormal, Paranormal History, Radio Show, Toys & Games

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The Ouija Board

The Ouija Board

The Wonderful Talking Board, Part 1

Nothing divides a room than a discussion about playing with the Ouija Board. On one side sits the ardent not-in-a-million-years group. On the other, the occasional player. Where do you fall?

America was in a frenzy with the rise of Spiritualism in 1848. Spiritualism was compatible with Christian ideology. Séances were en vogue. Mediums enjoyed a celebrity type status. A simplified planchette was manufactured and sold across the country. However, a savvy businessman saw the potential to make millions.

The man who brought Ouija to the masses was in it for the money. Kennard Novelty Company patented the Ouija Board (Patent Number US446054 A) in 1891. Ironically, in order to receive a patent, the company had to demonstrate that the board actually worked. The Ouija Board game was introduced as a parlor wooden board game in the early 1900s—right as interest in the afterlife was growing. It was priced at $1.50 and consisted of a wooden board and wooden planchette.

Where does the name originate? Despite numerous stories, the name is not a combination of the words “Yes” and “No.” The most likely source of the name comes from co-founder Elijah Bond’s sister-in-law Helen Peters, a medium in her own right. Peters asked the board what it wanted to be called, and the response was “Ouija”—loosely translated as “good luck.” Dig a little deeper and you learn that Ms. Peter’s was sporting a locket containing the picture of women’s rights activist Ouida. Hmm.

Norman Rockwell

Bernice Bobs Her Hair, Norman Rockwell, May 1, 1920.

The Ouija Board was a mainstream activity in homes. Norman Rockwell added one in his May 1, 1920 illustration for The Saturday Evening Post. Polite society sat in their parlors and attempted to communicate with the dead. All hands would lightly rest on a teardrop-shaped planchette. A question would be called and mysteriously the planchette would move to reveal an answer. The answer may come in the form of a “yes” or a “no.” Or the spirit may spell out the answer one letter at a time. Or indicate a number. This process of deciphering a message from beyond the Veil could take hours. And many waited.

By the time the Kennard Novelty Company sold the game to Parker Brothers in 1967, the game turned into a multi-million dollar business. All was good until 1973 and The Exorcist. The sole factor in how a seemingly harmless parlor game turned into the portal of evil rests squarely on one motion picture. The Exorcist is loosely based on one pre-teenage girl (in real life it was a boy) who played with the Ouija Board and let loose the Devil. Parker Brothers was sold to Hasbro, current owner of the game. Since the movie’s premiere, the great divide on where people stand on the board has widened. Ouija Board games are ceremoniously burned with the likes of Harry Potter. Pat Robertson warns that demons can reach us through the board. Church leaders denounce the usage. The board game became spooky. But is it really? “Good-Bye.” For now…