The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

This pic was posted to a Facebook group recently. Just thought I'd share. I don't know where it was taken; I can read "historical society" on the "watermark", but not the rest. Enjoy!

I'm gonna guess it's Harrisburg, PA circa 1959

Jerry can have the nipper, I want the super large horn phonograph!

Matt

I believe that's the Nipper who for many years looked down on Russel Street in Baltimore, MD.

Matt, let's buy the building! It's big enough for both our families. DeeDee's agreed to wrestle your wife for the top floor. Deal?

Jerry B.

I've got room for that Nipper - send it my way (please!)

I think that may be right-- Baltimore?? In the early 70's, Jim Wells-- a Northern Virginia collector of just about everything, purchased a 30 foot Nipper and phono from the City of Baltimore. It was after RCA abandoned the Nipper logo for awhile and went to the block RCA logo... They had moved their headquarters to a suburb and abandoned their downtown building-- including Nipper- The 'statue' became the property of the city. Jim paid $1 for it and spent around $15,000 to move it from the top of the building to his front yard in Falls Church, VA.. It sat maybe 100 feet off Lee Highway, a major commuter road.

Nipper and the phono received a fresh coat of fiberglass and touch-up paint and was there for all to see for more than a decade. He caused quite a few car wrecks, and many kids enjoyed the opportunity to climb on the base and get their picture taken.

I was in college in Texas at the time, but Nipper's new home was literally a 10 minute drive from my parent's house. Jim Wells was a guy that had a knack for knowing what would be collectible in '10 years' and had two warehouses full of carousel horses and other animals, Circus entrance fronts, nickelodeons, band organs, antique cars, etc.

Eventually, the City of Baltimore wanted Nipper back-- they offered Jim various sums of money, but he turned them down-- Finally, after they kept pressuring him to sell it back to the City, he suggested that he would make a trade for a certain antique car that had eluded him for many years. It's my understanding that the city found the car and the trade was made... So... Nipper and phono is likely in a warehouse somewhere in Baltimore--

Somewhere, I have newspaper articles about the transactions and the zoning issues that Jim went through- the County tried to make him remove the structure because "billboards" weren't allowed in that area of Falls Church. After a few years of legal maneuvering, it was finally classified as a lawn ornament-- Nipper was allowed to stay put on Jim's property.

Jim had two auctions in the early 80's-- I attended both-- It was amazing to see the incredible 'stuff' the man had collected over the years. Nipper kept watch over both of those auctions!

Brad Abell

The watermark on the picture has the maryland crest on it- Looks like it says "Maryland Historical Association" ???

Brad Abell

UPDATE__ Nipper is alive and well!!

https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/nip ... dog-statue

Found this with a quick search--

Brad Abell

One more link--

https://www.google.com/maps/place/600+P ... 76.6184791

Zoom in and you can see Nipper on the front of the building-

Brad Abell