Dan Kasoff, Inc. v. Novelty Jewelry Co., Inc., Melba Jewels, Inc., and Henry Frankel
DAN KASOFF, INC., Plaintiff-Appellee, v. NOVELTY JEWELRY CO., Inc., Melba Jewels, Inc., and Henry Frankel, Defendants-Appellants
Opinion
PER CURIAM.
Although it might be thought that the invocation of the power of government to protect designs against infringement implied some merit other than a faint trace of “originality”, it is now settled beyond question that practically anything novel can be copyrighted. Mazer v. Stein, 347 U.S. 201 , 74 S.Ct. 460 , 98 L.Ed. 630 (1954); Rushton v. Vitale, 218 F.2d 434 (2d Cir.1955). “No matter how poor artistically the ‘author’s’ addition, it is enough if it be his own”. Alfred Bell & Co. v. Catalda Fine Arts, Inc., 191 F.2d 99, 103 (2d Cir.1951).
There can be no doubt that the copyright on plaintiff's garish trinket was valid and that defendants infringed by copying plaintiff’s product.
Even if, as defendants urge, the copyright notice might not be sufficient for some purposes, because it used the word “Florenza”, plaintiff’s trademark, rather than plaintiff’s name, the defendants, as willful infringers wholly aware of the existence of the copyright, are in no position to assert the insufficiency of the notice. See National Comics Publications, Inc. v. Fawcett Publications, Inc., 191 F.2d 594 (2d Cir.1951).
Affirmed.
How later courts describe this case
Explanatory parentheticals written by citing courts — 1 in all; the most informative distinct ones are shown.
-
(“faint trace” of originality required)
Cited by 19 cases
View all citing references →Relies on it most ⓘ
- Uneeda Doll Co., Inc. v. Goldfarb Novelty Co., Inc. And Walgreen Eastern Co., Inc.
- Durham Industries, Inc. v. Tomy Corporation
- M. Kramer Manufacturing Co., Inc. v. Hugh Andrews, Tim Caldwell, Drew's Distributing, Inc., Drew's Distributing Co., and Lynch Enterprises, Inc.
- L. Batlin & Son, Inc. v. Jeffrey Snyder D/B/A J. S. N. Y. And Etna Products Co., Inc.
- Lifshitz v. Walter Drake & Sons, Inc.
- Thomas Wilson & Company, Inc. v. Irving J. Dorfman Company, Inc.
Most recent
- Secure Services Technology, Inc. v. Time & Space Processing, Inc.
- Sunset Lamp Corp. v. Alsy Corp.
- Igor Lifshitz v. Walter Drake & Sons, Inc., and Etna Products Co., Inc., Igor Lifshitz v. Etna Products Co., Inc.
- Lifshitz v. Walter Drake & Sons, Inc.
- M. Kramer Manufacturing Co., Inc. v. Hugh Andrews, Tim Caldwell, Drew's Distributing, Inc., Drew's Distributing Co., and Lynch Enterprises, Inc.
- EF Johnson Co. v. Uniden Corp. of America
Citing references are not a citator: they show that a later opinion cites this case, not whether it followed, distinguished, or overruled it. Check negative history before relying on this case.