In the history of talking dolls, the Edison Talking Doll is Number One. The Edison Talking Toy Manufacturing Company was not actually started by Edison as it was originally intended by Edison to be a licensed product. But by the time the first doll was to be marketed Edison had taken control of the company. For details of the doll and how it was made, see the Phonographia reprint of the April 26, 1890 issue of the Scientific American magazine by clicking Edison's Phonographic Doll. (Note: Each engraving in the SA article can be enlarged by clicking on an image).

Edison's doll had a bisque head made in Germany, a human hair wig and hands and feet made of wood. Sound came from the upper part of the tin body.

Side view of talking mechanism (crank on the left). Sound came from a 3 inch diameter wax cylinder record.	Back of doll.The crank turned the cylinder record inside the body.
	Talking Doll Number 7

Edison Talking Doll box	Close-up of Patents listed on box