Court Opinion

ID: 9446374
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 21:53:03.387669+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:37.854058
License: Public Domain

O’CONNELL, Judge
(dissenting).
The stipulated testimony in this case shows that appellant commenced its use of the “Royal Purple” trademark, as applied to hosiery in July 1927 — more than eighteen years prior to appellee’s alleged first use of its “Royal Plumage” mark— and that for the period from 1927 to 1953 inclusive appellant spent more than ten million dollars in advertising under its *955mark and sold more than three hundred million dollars worth of goods thereunder. Under such circumstances, the rule that doubts as to confusing similarity of trademarks will be resolved against the newcomer applies with particular force.
Each of the marks here involved begins with the word “Royal,” while the second words, “Plumage” and “Purple” are of approximately the same length, and both begin with “P” and end with “e.” Moreover each is accompanied by a picture or suggestion of feathers or plumes. It is evident, therefore, that upon casual inspection, they present a marked similarity in appearance. Further, both “purple” and “plumage” are commonly associated with royalty or high rank, and the total effect most likely to be given by each mark is that of luxury or high quality; probably accompanied by a suggestion of feathers or plumage. As was properly pointed out by the Examiner of Interferences, appellant’s use of a picture of plumes with its mark has the same effect as the use of a corresponding word. Weyenberg Shoe Manufacturing Co. v. Hood Rubber Co., 49 F.2d 1046, 18 C.C. P.A., Patents, 1449; In re Riverbank Canning Company, 95 F.2d 327, 25 C.C.P.A., Patents, 1028.
While the majority opinion seems to question the propriety of considering portions of the marks separately, that practice has frequently been followed in decisions of this court. Aluminum Air Seal Mfg. Co. v. Trim-Set Corp., 208 F.2d 374, 41 C.C.P.A., Patents, 764; Lauritzen & Co., Inc. v. Borden Co., 239 F.2d 405, 44 C.C.P.A., Patents, 720; Smith v. Tobacco By-Products & Chemical Corp., 243 F.2d 188, 44 C.C.P.A., Patents, 880. As was said in the first-cited case [41 C.C.P.A., Patents, 764, 208 F.2d 376]:
“In this respect, it is true that in the final analysis the contested marks should not be judicially dissected or component parts measured one against the other, as the purchaser himself does not dissect the marks, but is confused, if at all, by the mark as a whole. From a purely objective standpoint, however, existing and apparent similarities in significance, sound, and appearance between constituent parts of trade marks cannot be overlooked as they provide a rational foundation upon which a conclusion may be formed as to the general subjective impression made by the marks upon the buying public.”
It is to be noted that the majority opinion in the instant ease dissects the marks to the extent of according separate consideration to the word “Royal,” used in both of the contested marks as the dominant part in each of them.
No doubt there are certain shades of difference between the marks which are apparent upon side-by-side comparison, but that is not the way in which the marks are encountered by prospective purchasers, and it does not seem reasonable to expect such persons to remember, perhaps after an interval of several months or more, that the “Royal” mark with the picture of plumes indicates one origin of the goods while the “Royal” mark with the word “Plumage” indicates another.
With his right to choose from not only the entire English language, including pidgin English, the foreign languages, and also all the possible mathematical permutations and combinations of all the letters of the alphabet and numerical digits, it would appear that appellee should have selected a mark bearing a less striking resemblance to the one extensively used and widely advertised by appellant for identical goods. In my opinion the Examiner of Interferences properly sustained the opposition and the decision of the Assistant Commissioner should be reversed.