One of the most recognizable promotional symbols in U.S. commercial history began as part of a modest painting done by English artist Francis Barraud of a mixed breed dog gazing into the brass horn of a gramophone. This image was the basis for the famous dog-and-gramophone trademark, one of the world's best-known, used by several audio recording and associated company brands, including Berliner Gramophone and its various successors, affiliates, and successors, including Berliner's German subsidiary Deutsche Grammophon; Berliner's American successor the Victor Talking Machine Company, later known as RCA Victor and then RCA Records.

The dog’s name was Nipper. Born in 1884 in Bristol, England, Nipper was probably part Russell Terrier, although some believe he was part Bull Terrier. He was named Nipper because he would "nip" the backs of visitors' legs.

Nipper originally lived with his owner, Mark Henry Barraud, in the Prince's Theatre where Barraud was a scenery designer. When Barraud died in 1887, his brothers Philip and Francis took care of the dog. Nipper died of natural causes in 1895 and was buried in a small park surrounded by magnolia trees on Clarence Street in Kingston upon Thames. Eventually, a branch of Lloyds Bank was built on the site. On the wall of the bank, just inside the entrance, a brass plaque commemorates the terrier that lies beneath the building.

In 1898, three years after Nipper's death, Francis Barraud, his last owner and brother of his first owner, painted a picture of Nipper listening intently to a wind-up Edison-Bell cylinder phonograph. Barraud said that it occurred to him to have his dog listening to the phonograph, with an intelligent and rather puzzled expression, then call the painting "His Master's Voice." He had a phonograph and often noticed how puzzled his dog became trying to make out where the voice came from.

Thinking the Edison-Bell Company, located in New Jersey, might find it useful, he presented it to James E. Hough, who rejected it saying, "Dogs don't listen to phonographs."

On May 31, 1899, Barraud went to the Maiden Lane offices of The Gramophone Company with the intention of borrowing a brass horn to replace the original black horn on the painting. Manager William Barry Owen suggested that if the artist replaced the machine with a Berliner disc gramophone, he would buy the painting. Barraud sold the slogan "His Master's Voice," along with his painting, to The Gramophone Company for £100 or $125 (equivalent to £10,628 or $13,254 today)—half for the copyright and half for the painting itself.

Emile Berliner, Owen's American partner, registered the trademark in the United States on July 10, 1900, and Eldridge Johnson acquired the rights when he merged interests with Berliner in 1901 to form The Victor Talking Machine Company.

Meanwhile, Eldridge Johnson’s Victor Talking Machine Company was producing its earliest Victrolas, designated by "VTLA"—an abbreviation for Victrola that appeared on the nameplate. Soon, the company marketed it as "Victrola the Sixteenth" or VV-XVI. His company also experimented with marketing a more deluxe model, with gold plated trim on the cabinet, designated "Victrola the Twentieth" or VV-XX, which sold for $300,. Victor produced only a few hundred of these models before discontinuing due to the high cost. By 1908, Victor added different finish choices, including oak, walnut, and even custom painted versions to its cabinets.

By the middle of 1909, Johnson knew he had a huge hit. He had already sold about 15,000 Victrolas, so he decided to capitalize on his success by introducing a lower priced model. Later that year, Victor introduced the tabletop Victrola XII, selling for $125. This first attempt to make a low-price compact Victrola wasn’t successful, however, since the horn opening was too small for adequate volume in a large room. In 1910, the firm improved the sound quality of its first tabletop model, replacing it with the Victrola X and Victrola XI. But they were still too expensive for the average American household.

In 1911, Victor launched several new low-priced models, the VV-IV, VV-VI, VV-VIII and VV-IX, with prices ranging from a remarkable $15.00 up to $50.00. These machines were a huge success, and Victrola production rose from several thousand per year in 1906, to approximately 250,000 per year by 1913.

By 1917, Victor was producing over a half million Victrolas annually. The most popular one was the VV-XI floor model, selling over 850,000 copies from 1910 to 1921. For the wealthy customer, Victrolas were also available in a variety of custom designs, with hand painted images, exotic wood, and Japanese lacquer finishes.

In November, 1925, Victor came out with the "Orthophonic" Victrola, which featured the latest sound reproducing technology offering far superior reproduction. The old style Victrolas sounded anemic compared to these products. Dramatic improvements were made in the design of the horns and the sound boxes. Victor achieved this without the use of electronics, instead with sophisticated acoustic designs. A rich tone now replaced the previous tinny Victrola sound.

By the late 1920's, Eldridge Johnson, now a millionaire, had grown tired of the business and decided to retire. In 1929, he sold The Victor Talking Machine Company and its logo to RCA, which renamed the new company "RCA Victor."

When Francis Barraud finished the portrait of his dog listening to an Edison Phonograph, he had no idea how powerful the image would prove to be. Nipper, the terrier in the painting, would appear on millions of talking machines and advertisements throughout the world.

For more information on the Victor Talking Machine Company, please visit the Web page for the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover, Delaware at history.delaware.gov/museums.

PHOTO CAPTIONS: From top to bottom

This little bank is one of hundreds of Nipper items to promote the Victor Talking Machine Company.

The edited painting produced by Barraud for The Gramophone Company of London, England, using a model with a brass horn.

Large statues of Nipper graced the Victor showrooms and retail stores selling Victor products.

Victor’s tabletop Victrola was a big seller because of its low price.

The Victory Talking Machine Company, and later RCA, produced a wide variety of promotional items featuring Nipper’s likeness.

This porcelain wall clock, featuring the RCA Nipper logo, was a premium advertising item.

The Victor Talking Machine logo, featuring a likeness of Nipper, that graced the front of Victor’s deluxe Victrolas.