02 December 2010

PhotoMenton - His Master's Voice and Nipper


It was a surprise to see this wind-up gramophone on sale along with the old cameras - perhaps it wasn't for sale but there to attract attention. Note the wonderful old wooden tripods and cameras in the background.

His Master's Voice is probably the most famous trademark in the music business, and for many years was the name of a large record label. The name was coined in 1899 as the title of a painting of the dog Nipper listening to a wind-up gramophone. In the photograph on which the painting was based, the dog was listening to a cylinder phonograph.

Nipper was born in 1884 in Bristol and died in September 1895 and was buried in Kingston-upon-Thames in a small park surrounded by magnolia trees. As time progressed, the area was built upon but in March 2010 a small road near to the dog's resting place in Kingston-upon-Thames was named Nipper Alley in commemoration of this famous resident. Click on Richmond-upon-Thames Daily Photo to see the plaque. The dog was called Nipper because he tried to bite visitors in the leg.

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Ce fut une surprise de voir ce gramophone mécanique à la brocante parmi d'anciennes caméras - Il n'était peut-être pas à vendre mais plutôt pour l'attirer l'attention. Notez de le magnifique vieux trépieds en bois et les caméras dans l'arrière-plan.

His Master's Voice - La voix de son maître - est probablement la marque la plus célèbre dans le monde de la musique, et depuis de nombreuses années le nom d'un label réputé. Ce nom a été inspiré d'un tableau peint en 1899 représentant le chien Nipper écoutant un gramophone à manivelle. La peinture avait elle-même pour origine une photographie ancienne d'un chien à l'écoute d'un phonographe à cylindre.

Nipper était né en 1884 à Bristol, il est mort en septembre 1895 et fut enterré à Kingston-upon-Thames dans un petit parc entouré de magnolias. Au fil du temps, la zone a été urbanisée mais en mars 2010, une petite route à proximité de lieu de repos du chien dans la région
de Kingston-upon-Thames Alley a été nommée Allée Nipper en commémoration de ce célèbre résident. Cliquez sur Richmond-upon-Thames Daily Photo pour voir la plaque. Le chien avait été appelé Nipper car il essayait souvent de mordre les visiteurs à la jambe.



11 comments:

  1. Love all old equipment you show us.
    Wish I could be there to see them in person.
    Costas

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  2. Of course, I know the name HMV. But I never tried to discover if there was a real story behind. And there is one, and lovely and rich!I'm glad to kow that someone kept the memory of this dog.
    When I was there on sunday, there was music playing on one of those machines..

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  3. Beautiful gramophone and I didn't know the story behind Nipper. Funny, but last night when I was walking Bibi, I noticed a HUGE gramophone through someone's window....I am a Peeping Tom, but if you don't close your curtains, it's fair game. I didn't take a photo, though!

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  4. Et bien ! J'en apprends des choses ! J'ignorais tout de cette histoire....

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  5. Interesting post today. I have seen those gramophones frequently, but didn't know that the dog's name was Nipper. The second new thing I have learned today! It is going to be an eductional day.

    I did Nipper (without knowing his name) earlier at http://hartforddailyphoto.blogspot.com/2010/09/his-masters-voice-barry-manilow.html.

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  6. What a wonderful gramophone. I like these old time instruments when things were more simple and elegant.

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  7. What a wonderful story! I'm so glad there's a memorial plaque commemorating Nipper's contribution!!! My favorite gramaphone is the one in Out of Africa...such a classic scene when Denys brings Karin the gramaphone...

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  8. ...and now the rest of the story. Thanks I didn't know it all.

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  9. Oh I know it well and I now see the connection with Chuckeroon's great post today. You two were in sync on this one. How fun!
    V

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  10. What a great find and a wonderful post. I would love to find one of these.

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  11. Nipper also became associated with the brands RCA, Victor, RCA Victor and JVC.
    When I was a boy my best friend had a Terrier that looked just like Nipper, and called him Victor. He wasn't a nipper :-)

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