HMV Brand Pte Ltd. (Singapore, China, Malaysia and Taiwan)
Palm Green Capital Limited (Albania, Bahrain, Estonia, India, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Oman, Serbia, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Ukraine)
In December 1899, the painting was sold to William Barry Owen of London's Gramophone Company (later a division of EMI), who would begin using the image on its records in 1909. 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 in advertising, on record releases, retail stores and other products sold worldwide. Some international divisions would later be divested, leading to 'His Master's Voice' as a brand to be fragmented.[3][4]
His Master's Voice (Music Award EMI-Bovema)
History
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]
A coloured vinyl single released by HMVVictor Talking Machine Company advertisement from 1921 with His Master's Voice trademark
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]
^Rye, Howard (2002). Kernfeld, Barry (ed.). The New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. Vol. 2 (2nd ed.). New York: Grove's Dictionaries Inc. p. 249. ISBN1-56159-284-6.
_ubt_24.jpeg){kind=spacer}
.jpg)
