Case Name: Walgreen Co. v. Godefroy Manufacturing Co.
Court: United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals
Jurisdiction: United States
Decision Date: 1932-05-23
Citations: 19 C.C.P.A. 1150
Docket Number: No. 2905
Parties: Walgreen Co. v. Godefroy Manufacturing Co.
Judges: Before Graham, Presiding Judge, and Bland, Hatfield, Garrett, and Lenroot, Associate Judges
Reporter: Court of Customs and Patent Appeals Reports
Volume: 19
Pages: 1150–1151

Head Matter:
58 F. (2d) 457
Walgreen Co. v. Godefroy Manufacturing Co.
(No. 2905)
United States Court of Customs and Patent Appeals,
May 23, 1932
Harry C. Alberts (Theo. K. Bryant of counsel) for appellant.
Carr & Carr & Gravely (Samuel Herrick, Joseph J. Gravely, and James A. Carr of counsel) for appellee.
[Oral argument May 5, 1932, by Mr. Alberts and Mr. Joseph J. Gravely]
Before Graham, Presiding Judge, and Bland, Hatfield, Garrett, and Lenroot, Associate Judges

Opinion:
Graham, Presiding Judge,
delivered the opinion of the court:
The appellant filed its application for registration of its trademark in the United States Patent Office on May 25, 1928. The mark is used on shaving cream and consists of the profile of the head and shoulders of a man, with the compound word " Peau-Doux " and underneath the same the following: "(Po-Do)." The mark is said to have been used since March 1, 1926.
The appellee opposes the registration, relying upon its registration of the trade-mark " Peaudouce " for skin cream and the continuous use of the same in interstate commerce since October, 1895. This registration is No. 250012, dated November 27, 1928.
The opposer alone took testimony, and it satisfactorily appears that the opposer used its mark, as provided by law, long prior to appellant's entrance into the field. The applicant filed as a part of its application, a disclaimer of the word " Peau-Doux " except as used in its mark.
We agree with the commissioner in his decision that the goods o£ opposer and applicant are of the same descriptive properties and that confusion would result if applicant's mark were registered. Hence registration should-be denied. It would be a work of supererogation for us to repeat here what we have said so many times. California Packing Co. v. Tillman & Bendell, 17 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1048, 40 F. (2d) 108; Sun-Maid R. G. of California v. American Grocer Company, 17 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1034, 40 F. (2d) 116; Harris v. Plough Chem. Co. 19 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 876, 54 F. (2d) 967.
It is argued that the word " Peau-Doux " has been disclaimed, except in conjunction with this mark. This is of no importance. The confusion will continue, as Justice Robb, of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia, said in Fiskbeck Soap Co. v. Kleeno Mfg. Co., 44 App. D. C. 6, while "the disclaimer would slumber in the archives of the Patent Office."
It is vigorously argued by appellant's counsel that opposer can not be heard to oppose the registration of appellant's mark for the reason that opposer's mark is descriptive, not the subject of exclusive ownership, and was not entitled to registration. This raises the question of the validity of opposer's registered mark. It is the holding of this court that the validity of the opposer's mark will not be inquired into in opposition proceedings. Celotex Co. v. Millington, 18 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 1484, 49 F. (2d) 1053; Daltroff & Cie v. Vivaudou, 19 C. C. P. A. (Patents) 715, 53 F. (2d) 536.
The decision of the Commissioner of Patents is affirmed.