What many people don't know is that 'Nipper' was an actual dog who lived from 1884-1895. The first painting, "His Master's Voice," was done by his owner, Francis Barraud, three years after the dog passed away. Originally, the image was offered to Edison-Bell to use for branding the phonograph. They turned it down because "Dogs don't listen to Phonographs." After this rejection, the painting was modified to show Nipper listening to a gramophone, and in 1900, the image became the successful trademark of Victor and HMV records, HMV music store, and RCA.
Used as a mascot for over 100 years, the image has inspired many statues, beginning in cast iron, but also in plaster and various other materials. Without additional images it is hard to accurately date this particular model, but it is probably worth around $100.
1 Comment
islandgirl said:
Hi ~ Linda here. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH for replying to my question. I had to put the dog up for auction and unfortunately I didn't get quite as much as it was worth. I did know a bit about the history of Nipper but there are so many different statues out there that I was curious about mine. Thank you again! Linda
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