In the 1940s, the Haskelite Manufacturing Corporation embraced a new product line: ‘fortune telling’ Mystic Trays and Mystic Boards. Made from the same innovative and lightweight moldable plywood that had given the company its name and reputation, the Hasko Mystic Tray (first introduced in 1942) and board series (1944) were instant successes, with over four million units sold in 1944 alone. As such, Haskelite became one of the most prolific manufacturers of spirit boards in the world.

This green zodiac border edition of the Hasko Mystic Board dates to the 1940s, and thus the original Hasko spirit board line. Complete with its original ‘Mystic Hand’ planchette, this artefact of spirit communication bears signs of wear, most especially on the uneven feet of the planchette, suggesting a long history of use within home séances.