This is a physical object found within the collection. The lid of the small, rectangular box contains a handwritten label that reads “PK spoonbending materials (miscellaneous) via WALTER UPHOFF.” There is also a photograph of six spoons taped onto the top of the lid, the spoons arranged and labeled one through six from left to right. In between spoons three and four is some handwritten context behind the spoons, which reads:
August 11, 1979
Results of Experiment at workshop in Madison, Wisconsin
5 conference participants plus several others were involved in all or part of the experiment. A Mr. Leshuk inferred in his report that the spook on the left could have been bent normally when M. Kiyota went to the bathroom but E. Morikawa and Masuaki stated that spoon #3 was taken out of the room and was twisted after M. became irritated by Leshuk’s report implying fraud. All others agree that spoon #1 never left the room. They recall #1 + #2 (teaspoons) being nestled [?], one on the other, on the floor near where Matsuki sat, while #3, which he calls a baby spoon was with [unreadable] when he left the room.
Inside of the kit, there are no spoons, but there are several metal objects that could be used in spoon bending. These include a few relatively thick metal strips that are already bent in some form, some metal washers, and some keys.
There are a few objects that do not seem related to spoon bending, namely the loose roll of film or the plastic vial of what appears to be ink. Some other objects appear to be related to the metal items inside, such as black string tying together some washers or the leather pouch holding one set of keys. Even though we know the context behind some elements of is box, the reason as to why this kit was assembled in the first place remains unclear.
“Spoon bending box with miscellaneous materials inside” box 9, Eileen J. Garrett Parapsychology Foundation collection, Collection 331. University of Maryland Baltimore County. Baltimore, MD.