GetCrafty Craft Facts

Q: I make these all by hand, and the finished product is very nice! Anyone interested in seeing what this cute lamp looks like, may visit this page on my website at: http://bead_delights.tripod.com/main.html I have 3 other designs of 8 1/2" Beaded Lamps that are not listed on my page. This is the only current design that I have made in stock at this time.

A: I seem to be having a problem with this person, who E-mailed me, then threatened me when I replied. The point I tried to make to her is that calling her items "Tiffany lamps" in any form is asking for the lawyers for 'Tiffany' to greet her at her door with a cease and desist order, and they have the bucks to do it. And... am I missing something, presuming that when one posts here, one does not have to be "asking for a comment" in order to GET one? I don't remember this person participating except to "AD:" but I've been wrong now and again in life.... Actually, the 'Tiffany' jewelry company doesn't make lamps in the style of 'Louis Comfort Tiffany', so they're unlikely to be spring-loaded to respond to this one. They don't even own "Tiffany" as a trademark on stone mountings, for that matter. 'Rio Grande' sells 'Tiffany' mountings that it manufactures itself. Copyright law and trademark law are both specific about not limiting people in different markets. The 'Ritz-Carlton' hotel chain may own 'Ritz' as applied to hotels, but 'Nabisco' (I think) owns it for crackers. 'Nabisco' can't stop 'Ritz-Carlton', and 'Ritz-Carlton' can't stop 'Nabisco', but if 'Nabisco' goes into the hostelry business or 'Ritz-Carlton' starts marketing snack foods, then there might be some action. It's only when there's a possibility of confusing two products that a company can take action.