RCA Victor Nipper Statues Adorn Town

Jul 11, 2005 0 Replies

The Victor phonograph company, which became part of RCA, created a logo "His Master's Voice" showing a dog, with his ear lifted, listening to a phonograph. This logo became very famous, AFAIK remains in use to this day on whoever owns RCA-Victor compact disks label (BMG?)



(The modernized RCA logo is owned by Thomson consumer electronics of France).



Anyway, the founder of Victor, Eldridge Johnson, was from Moorestown NJ. To celebrate its heritage, many residents have set up statues of Nipper throughout the town this summer.



RCA made quite a bit of telephone equipment. Some of it appeared to look exactly like Western Electric products. TV crews wore headsets similar to that of Bell System operators. Others were built for the military and contained security features. RCA also made computers but didn't do well in that and sold that business to Sperry Univac.



In the postwar years, RCA gained more and more income from defense and industrial products (ie televsion cameras and transmitters) and less from consumer goods (record players). Eventually all consumer lines were dropped and later TV lines were dropped. Defense systems were a big business.



The huge RCA-Victor plant complex was located in Camden NJ. RCA-Victor was sold to GE which it turn split it up and sold off to various parties. Lockheed Martin took over some defense electronics and still runs some plants in the Moorestown area. However, virtually all of the original Camden complex has been torn down. One building is now a fancy apartment house (and has the Nipper logo in stained glass on the roof). One other bldg is in use as a school district office building. Camden as a city has seen much better days.


Join the Discussion

Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.

Didn't find your answer?

Ask the community — no account required