The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

Two Edison Talking Dolls named Mina and Madeleine, and the quest to hear them talk were featured in the New York Times Science section today. The technology now available to digitize rare recordings is becoming more accessible and hopefully in the near future, collectors and preservationists will be able to avail themselves to this non-contact method of recording.

Here's a link to the article: NY Times Article

Thanks to all that made it possible and to those that participated in our TENHP presentation.

Rob & Joan

Just amazing that you are able to hear these recordings. Did you ever think that you would? I heard a couple of these on the radio today. They imagine that Edison employees recorded the rhymes. If they tried to sound like children it doesn't come across.

Wonderful!

It's so exciting to see technology developed that has the potential to unlock sounds captured but unheard for such a long time!

Best,
Fran

wjw wrote:Just amazing that you are able to hear these recordings. Did you ever think that you would? I heard a couple of these on the radio today. They imagine that Edison employees recorded the rhymes. If they tried to sound like children it doesn't come across.

It was a rewarding experience to finally hear the dolls speak. I think even Edison would have been amazed at the technology that enabled it to happen. Children were employed by the Phonograph Company to record over six thousand wax cylinders for the dolls! Details of recordings can be seen on the TENHP Talking Doll FAQ page.

Here is the link: Sound Recordings FAQ

Rob

Rob, thank you for this link. Elocutionist-trained kids cutting records over and over,making far more than were used is a little sad. Interesting story.
-Bill