It Talks! It Laughs! It Sings! -- all common phrases of early promoters as they invited the curious, for the price of admission, to hear the talking machine for themselves. Indeed, these early machines were talking wonders and it was "talk" that seemed its future. (Click on any image to enlarge --->)

Early tin-foil phonograph exhibitors profited on the novelty of a talking machine. People were amazed by what it did. And yet, what was its future? For many, the phonograph was a side-show attraction that at best was considered a toy. In 1889 that toy perception was reinforced by a commercial venture that put the phonograph inside a doll. Ninety years later Edison's Talking Doll became the first inductee into the "Talking Toy Hall of Fame."

Edison's Phonographic Doll

By 1892 lack of sales and too many returns ended production of Edison's talking doll. Though not a commercial success, the Edison Talking Doll is still deservedly the first inductee of the Talking Toy Hall of Fame.

Talking toys is the theme of this gallery and the Talking Toy Hall of Fame is one of the reasons for creating Phonographia as a web site. Following in the footsteps of Edison's talking doll there are a number of talking dolls that had records and small phonographs in their bodies. Even Chatty Cathy talks by means of a record and a phonograph mechanism.

Talking dolls, however, are not the only talking toys in the Talking Toy Hall of Fame. With the advent of magnetic tapes and electronic chips, toys that talk continue to provide much amusement using new technologies. Perhaps to the disappointment of the purists, several charter member inductees of the Talking Toy Hall of Fame are non-phonograph toys. As curator, I can only urge tolerance, as the Talking Toy Hall of Fame does not discriminate between talking toys. Edison, Mattel, Kenner, Worlds of Wonder, Ideal, Thinkway -- all are welcome. Nominees just need to state their case, preferably after their string is pulled or their crank is turned.