In an early scene in my current work in progress, my heroine hears opera for the first time on a portable gramophone. She’s so inspired she decides to buy her own machine. Since the scene is set in 1933 London, I had two major obstacles to overcome. Namely, what kind of gramophone would a woman on a limited salary be able to purchase? And, well…where would she purchase said machine? My research uncovered the perfect gramophone company on Oxford Street. HMV (abbr. for His Master’s Voice) was founded in 1921 and is currently celebrating its 100-year anniversary.

As I dug deeper, I discovered the name (HMV) came from iconic 1898 painting by Francis Barraud. You’ll probably recognize the image of Nipper looking into the horn of an Edison Bell gramophone. I’m sure you’ve seen Nipper resplendent in his curious state of awe.

Nipper was a real dog. He was born in 1884 and was the dog of Francis’s brother in Bristol, England. Mark Barraud was a decorator for a London theater and Nipper fit right in with the drama all around him. He actually earned his name while still a puppy for his tendency to greet strangers by biting their legs. His owner died unexpectedly in 1887. After the funeral, Francis took Nipper home with him to Liverpool.

Nipper lived another eight years, dying at the ripe old age of 11 in 1895. Have you seen this image before?