This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/29/2022
ENCHANTED TALKING TEAKETTLE. Columbus: Nelson Enterprises, ca. 1960. Oversized faux teakettle appears entirely innocent. When the kettle’s spout is held to the ear, a ghostly voice emanates from within, answering questions posed to it. The voice is not pre-recorded; any questions can be answered in any manner, even though they have only been thought of by the spectators participating in the experiment. With instructions. Diameter 8 ?”, height, 6”. Very good condition. With minor stress cracks to kettle, but good condition overall. Rare; especially so with the necessary accessories. A modernized version of David P. Abbott’s creation, Nelson updated the Kettle, made it larger, from newer materials, and marketed the effect for years at an astonishingly high price. As his own advertising for the prop stated, “Here mysticism glows with a new warmth and life—the tempo of the pulse of the unknown is quickened—you experience a phenomenon beyond your grasp—you see, hear, possess and are challenged by an inanimate object with an intelligence equal to your own. The Enchanted Talking Tea Kettle takes you into the realm of the fantastic!” And while this scintillating sales copy might be considered an exaggeration, the results the Kettle brought Nelson himself in terms of bookings and revenue were considerable, as he was a frequent exhibitor of the device at fairs, festivals, in theaters, and on television.