Enchanted Talking Teakettle. Columbus: Nelson Enterprises, ca. 1960. Oversized faux teakettle (unfinished in plain wood) 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. Includes induction coils and microphone in original mailing boxes with Nelson mailing labels, sound mixing device, and a metal printing block and newspaper advertising mats for the purposes of composing ads. Diameter of kettle 8 ½", height, 6". RARE; especially so with the necessary accessories.
Nelson updated David P. Abbott's Talking Teakettle and marketed the effect for years. His advertising 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!" While this scintillating sales copy might be considered overly bombastic, the Kettle brought Nelson himself many bookings and considerable revenue, as he, too, was a frequent exhibitor of the device at fairs, festivals, in theaters, and on television.