Nipper Question

[winduphere]

The RCA dog, nipper? I am interested in buying one for my collection.
As I look on the internet I am overwhelmed by size, price and what there made of.
I'd like to buy one pre 1930??
Any advise as to what's collectible and what to avoid

[pellicano1]

The RCA dog, nipper? I am interested in buying one for my collection.
As I look on the internet I am overwhelmed by size, price and what there made of.
I'd like to buy one pre 1930??
Any advise as to what's collectible and what to avoid

Most out there are reproductions from the 1980s and up. If you want an original your going to pay quite a bit. Some of the reproductions are very nice though! You just have to search the internet for keywords such as rca dog, victrola dog, nipper, hmv dog, his masters voice, etc. Good luck! I acquired a replica mechanical cast iron bank entitled "Nipper Please". He is musical and his ears and mouth move.

[Jerry B.]

Robin and Joan Rolfs authored two excellent books on Nipper and Nipper collectables. A quick search through their book was the source of my information.

The 10" Nipper on the left was made by Trilogy Plastics and was discontinued in 1997. Originally the polypropylene Nippers were made by Trilogy Products which were distributors for the Old King Cole company which provided many Nippers to Victor / RCA.

The 11" papier mache Nipper in the middle was made by Old King Cole and commissioned by RCA in 1947.

The 14" papier mache Nipper on the right was made by Old King Cole and must predate the 1947 version.

I will have the 10" polypropylene ($100) and the 11" papier mache ($150) Nippers at the APS sale next weekend. I had the 14" Nipper at Union for an asking price of $400 and it did not sell.

I can't say enough good things about Joan and Rob's books as well as George and Tim's books. If you or anyone else would like their contact information please send a PM and I'll put you in contact with them.

Jerry Blais

[Curt A]

If you want an authentic Nipper, they are made of paper mache by Old King Cole company and have glass eyes. There are some plaster reproductions that look pretty good, if you can't afford an original.

Jerry's paper mache one for $400 looks nice and is reasonable...

https://www.ronsusser.com/inventory/lis ... king-cole/

[Jerry B.]

I would suggest that authentic Nippers ran into the polypropylene Nipper era. But I don't think all polypropylene Nippers are authentic if authenticity is based on RCA selling the Nipper. I believe the manufacturing company that made them continued to sell them after orders from RCA stopped. If I remember correctly Ron H. ordered a stock and sold them in the late 80's or 90's. If this is incorrect please post a correction. Please!

I suppose the authentic Nippers would also include the plush Nippers and Chippers. But the distinction I make is that the older Nippers through the polypropylene ones made an attempt to look like the dog in the original His Master's Voice painting.

My bias is that I'm a Nipper snob. I have little use for recent Nipper wanna be examples.

Jerry Blais

[Curt A]

I agree, Jerry... some of those recently made plastic Nippers (probably Chinese) actually look bizarre and the faces aren't close to correct...

[EarlH]

If you want an authentic Nipper, they are made of paper mache by Old King Cole company and have glass eyes. There are some plaster reproductions that look pretty good, if you can't afford an original.

Jerry's paper mache one for $400 looks nice and is reasonable...

https://www.ronsusser.com/inventory/lis ... king-cole/

I don't think all of the original one's had glass eyes. I know I have the one out of a Victor dealer from near here in Mason City, and I've seen the one's from the Vance Music Company that they had at least in the 1920's if not before, and they were/are paper mache and none of those had glass eyes. I have seen old one's with glass eyes as well and I was just under the impression that they were probably more expensive when they were new. They nearly always seem to have the gesso coming loose in places. Especially the legs. I owned one of the large old one's that the dealers sat in front of a Victrola. Those things take up a lot of room, and are also hard to ship. That big one came from a Victor dealership up in Hastings, Minnesota and I have no idea where it is these days.