The Bebe Jumeau Phonograph Doll was a French doll made by the doll maker Emile Jumeau combined with a phonograph mechanism made by Henri Lioret. The beautiful bisque head and glass eyes made this doll special to look at. But it was Lioret's celluloid cylinder powered by a spring operated motor that also made this a significant advance over Edison's talking doll. Lioret understood that part of the failure of Edison's talking doll was its breakable wax records and the limitation of a permanently installed record. The Lioret-Jumeau doll was the first French phonograph as well as the first mechanism to use interchangeable unbreakable celluloid cylinders. Lioret's patented celluloid cylinder (November 28, 1893) allowed the Bebe to speak a variety of songs and words and it was well received by consumers. The 30 inch tall Bebe Jumeau, primarily marketed from 1893 to 1895, is a beautiful and historic doll that is appropriately a charter member of the Talking Toy Hall of Fame.

This photo of the Lioret Phonographe Doll with the front panel removed showing the phonograph mechanism comes from the book "Phonograph Dolls that Talk and Sing" and is courtesy of the Bessie and Floyd Seiter collection. Someday perhaps the Talking Toy Hall of Fame will be able to have their own example in its permanent collection.