Well, now we know that something was too creepy for kids in the 1890s, a time when a Halloween costume meant dressing in rags and putting a burlap sack over your head with holes in it, like something slithering out of a primal nightmare. A time when clowns could not inspire fear in the hearts of children. When dead people were propped up for photos, positioned like they were still alive, deceased children sitting with their living siblings, in a grisly tableau. And that was all okay. That was all not creepy.
But this doll. This doll was too much even for the postmortem modeling fans.
It was made by Thomas Edison’s phonograph company, in a noble effort to find new uses for the technology.
Per the NYTimes: In 1890, Edison’s dolls were a flop; production lasted only six weeks. Children found them difficult to operate and more scary than cuddly.
Inside each cyborg metal body was a cylinder that would play slowly enunciated nursery rhythms. Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and the like. While the eyes stared at you, unblinking. Clearly ahead of its time, it was a true predecessor to Teddy Ruxpin, who still haunts the dreams of many a young adult and probably their well intentioned parents.
Photo via The New York Times
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