[78-L] Nipper trademark

[Rodger Holtin 78-L]

The question of a Columbia as a poor substitute for a Victor in the Florence Foster Jenkins film brought up the use of the Nipper trademark. Is the trademark like a copyright or patent which expire after X number of years?

Patents on all things gramophonic have long since expired and thanks to Disney copyrights are now practically permanent in the USA.   

Has Nipper expired as a trademark or is he so permanent that he will outlive the sale of recordings as we knew them?  Will Sony or whoever is the legal successor to that stuff ever rise up and start demanding a royalty on the sale of Nipper's visage over the internet or in flea markets??

Sent from my iPhone, which explainz any bad typjng and nonsensical word choices.