Nipper Building
Encyclopedia
The Nipper Building is a colloquial name for The Victor condominiums, and originally, Building 17, RCA Victor Company, Camden Plant. The structure is a historical building located in Camden, New Jersey
. Formerly RCA
Victor Headquarters, it was converted into luxury apartments and retail space in 2004.
Francis Barraud
, an unknown British artist, saw his dog, Nipper, sitting attentively in front of a talking machine. Barraud was so impressed that he decided to put it on canvas. Nipper, the alert Fox Terrier
with an ear cocked to an antique phonograph
, became the best known dog in the world. The painting, called His Master's Voice, was sold to the British Gramophone Company
Ltd. and became the trademarks of both the Gramophone Company and its new American affiliate, the Victor Talking Machine Company
in 1901. RCA purchased the Victor Company in 1929. The purchase included the Camden manufacturing plant and the "His Master's Voice" trademark.
The Nipper Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Utilizing the Investment Tax Credit, the structure was converted into a complex featuring a mix of 341 upscale loft apartments with outstanding views of the Philadelphia skyline. The restoration was completed in August 2003 at a cost of $65 million. Approximately 80% of the project's funding came from private sources, namely through Dranoff Properties, Fleet Bank and Related Capital. Remaining funding came from various public sources including the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority
, the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority and the Delaware River Port Authority
.
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
. Formerly RCA
RCA
RCA Corporation, founded as the Radio Corporation of America, was an American electronics company in existence from 1919 to 1986. The RCA trademark is currently owned by the French conglomerate Technicolor SA through RCA Trademark Management S.A., a company owned by Technicolor...
Victor Headquarters, it was converted into luxury apartments and retail space in 2004.
History
The Nipper Building, now known as 'The Victor', was originally constructed in 1909-1916, by the architectural and engineering firm of Ballinger & Perrot.Francis Barraud
Francis Barraud
Francis James Barraud was an English painter - the son of artist Henry Barraud.His most famous work, His Master's Voice, is one of the best-known commercial logos in the world, having inspired the music industry trademark depicting a dog and phonograph, which is used by several corporations,...
, an unknown British artist, saw his dog, Nipper, sitting attentively in front of a talking machine. Barraud was so impressed that he decided to put it on canvas. Nipper, the alert Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier
Fox Terrier refers primarily to two different breeds of the terrier dog type: the Smooth Fox Terrier and the Wire Fox Terrier. Both of these breeds originated in the 19th century from a handful of dogs who are descended from earlier varieties of British terriers, and are related to other modern...
with an ear cocked to an antique phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
, became the best known dog in the world. The painting, called His Master's Voice, was sold to the British Gramophone Company
Gramophone Company
The Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom, was one of the early recording companies, and was the parent organization for the famous "His Master's Voice" label...
Ltd. and became the trademarks of both the Gramophone Company and its new American affiliate, the Victor Talking Machine Company
Victor Talking Machine Company
The Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
in 1901. RCA purchased the Victor Company in 1929. The purchase included the Camden manufacturing plant and the "His Master's Voice" trademark.
The Nipper Building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
The Victor
After manufacturing ceased in 1992, the building became vacant, vandalized and a general eyesore to the surrounding area. In 1997, the building was listed on Preservation New Jersey's Ten Most Endangered sites list.Utilizing the Investment Tax Credit, the structure was converted into a complex featuring a mix of 341 upscale loft apartments with outstanding views of the Philadelphia skyline. The restoration was completed in August 2003 at a cost of $65 million. Approximately 80% of the project's funding came from private sources, namely through Dranoff Properties, Fleet Bank and Related Capital. Remaining funding came from various public sources including the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority
Casino Reinvestment Development Authority
The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority or CRDA is a New Jersey state governmental agency that was founded in 1984 and is responsible for directing the spending of casino reinvestment funds in public and private projects to benefit Atlantic City and other areas of the state...
, the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority and the Delaware River Port Authority
Delaware River Port Authority
The Delaware River Port Authority is a bi-state instrumentality created by a Congressionally approved interstate compact between the governments of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey...
.
See also
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Camden County, New Jersey
- Victor Talking Machine CompanyVictor Talking Machine CompanyThe Victor Talking Machine Company was an American corporation, the leading American producer of phonographs and phonograph records and one of the leading phonograph companies in the world at the time. It was headquartered in Camden, New Jersey....
- Gramophone CompanyGramophone CompanyThe Gramophone Company, based in the United Kingdom, was one of the early recording companies, and was the parent organization for the famous "His Master's Voice" label...
- NipperNipperNipper was a dog that served as the model for a painting titled His Late Master's Voice. This image was the basis for the dog and trumpet logo used by several audio recording and associated brands: His Master's Voice, HMV, RCA, Victor Talking Machine Company, RCA Victor and JVC.- Biography :Nipper...