![]() His Master's Voice (1899) by Francis Barraud | |
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His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark used by numerous sound equipment manufacturers, record labels and entertainment retailers globally. It is derived from the painting of the same name that depicts a dog named Nipper listening to a wind-up disc gramophone whilst tilting his head, created in 1899 by Francis Barraud. [1]
In December 1899, the painting was sold to William Barry Owen of London's Gramophone Company (later a division of EMI), using the imagery on its sound equipment. It would create the His Master's Voice record label in 1909, and the HMV retail chain in 1921. The Victor Talking Machine Company (later RCA Victor), the American affiliate of the Gramophone Company, also adopted the name and imagery on its products and advertising, beginning in 1901. [2]
With the Gramophone Company and RCA Victor both eventually operating outside of their respective countries, the His Master's Voice painting became one of the world's best-known trademarks, featured on sound equipment, music releases and retail stores worldwide. Some international divisions would later be divested, leading to the ownership of the 'His Master's Voice' brand to be fragmented. [3] [4]
The phrase was coined in the late 1890s from the title of a painting by English artist Francis Barraud, which depicted a dog named Nipper listening to a wind-up disc gramophone and tilting his head. [5] In the original, unmodified 1898 painting, the dog was listening to a cylinder phonograph. [6]
In early 1899, Francis Barraud applied for copyright of the original painting using the descriptive working title Dog looking at and listening to a Phonograph. He was unable to sell the work to any cylinder phonograph company.[ citation needed ] The painting had been originally offered to James Hough, manager of Edison-Bell in London, but he declined, saying "dogs don't listen to phonographs".[ citation needed ] William Barry Owen, the American founder of the Gramophone Company in England, offered to purchase the painting for £100, under the condition that Barraud modify it to show one of their disc machines. [7] Barraud complied and the image was first used on the company's catalogue from December 1899. As the trademark gained in popularity, several additional copies were subsequently commissioned from the artist for various corporate purposes. [8]
In June 2003, the formal His Master's Voice trademark transfer took place from EMI Records to HMV Media Group plc. [9] In January 2013, HMV Group plc would later be rescued by Hilco Capital, who retained the His Master's Voice trademark rights when they sold the HMV stores to Sunrise Records. [10]
In January 2017, Warner Music Group launched Warner Classics digital efforts as 'Dog and Trumpet' due to not having the 'His Master's Voice' trademark rights. [11] [12] Most reissues of former His Master's Voice-pop material previously controlled by EMI are now re-issued on Warner's Parlophone label. [13]
Sound equipment and recording labels