Court Opinion

ID: 9447342
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-03 22:32:29.648377+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T17:30:59.992539
License: Public Domain

FRIENDLY, Circuit Judge
(dissenting).
When middle-aged judges are obliged to determine the “likelihood of confusion” in the purchase of engagement and wedding rings by youthful swains not enjoying our advantage of knowing the answer in advance, I should suppose the most resolute mind must entertain some doubts. I prefer to resolve mine in favor of a plaintiff who has spent money and effort in exploiting its mark for nearly a score of years rather than of a defendant who, with the world of possible names before him, has chosen to inch as close to the plaintiff’s mark as he believes he safely can, even if he has done this in a “good faith” belief that he has succeeded.
The plaintiff here has been selling engagement and wedding rings since 1850. It commenced using' “Artcarved” on rings in 1941, registered that mark in 1942, and has used the mark widely, continuously and successfully ever since. “Artcarved” is the first or second most widely advertised trademark for wedding and engagement rings in the country. In November 1949 plaintiff began to use the mark “Woodcrest” on a secondary line. In 1950 it registered “Woodcrest” and commenced to use the combined mark “Artcarved Woodcrest.” Between 1954 and 1957 plaintiff discontinued manufacturing or advertising rings marked “Artcarved Woodcrest” or “Woodcrest” but made sales of products so marked from stock. In 1957 plaintiff resumed manufacturing and advertising rings under the mark “Woodcrest.” From 1941 through 1958 plaintiff expended $5,659,000 in advertising its marks.
Appellant began to use “Art $ Crest” in 1955. When this action was begun, appellant stamped on the inside of its rings these words and no others. The addition of “by W. B.” came three months later.
Judge Goodrich said in Q-Tips, Inc. v. Johnson & Johnson, 3 Cir., 206 F.2d 144, 145, certiorari denied 1953, 346 U.S. 867, 74 S.Ct. 106, 98 L.Ed. 377 (Q-Tips and Johnson’s Cotton Tips):
“It is worth pointing out, at the start of our discussion, that we are in a field where the tendency of the law ‘has been in the direction of enforcing increasingly higher standards of fairness or commercial morality in trade. The tendency still persists.’ Restatement, Torts, Volume III, page 540. In any situation where the law is in the growing stage it is not to be expected that the advance in all courts will be simultaneous.”
Until recently this court has been at least in pace with the advance, if not, indeed, in the van. See, e. g., Industrial Rayon Corp. v. Dutchess Underwear Corp., 2 Cir., 1937, 92 F.2d 33, certiorari denied 1938, 303 U.S. 640, 58 S.Ct. 610, 82 L.Ed. 1100 (Spun-lo and Sunglo); George W. Luft Co. v. Zande Cosmetic Co., 2 Cir., 142 F.2d 536, certiorari denied 1944, 323 U.S. 756, 65 S.Ct. 90, 89 L.Ed. 606 (Tangee and Zande); LaTouraine Coffee Co. v. Lorraine Coffee Co., 2 Cir., 157 F.2d 115, certiorari denied 1946, 329 U.S. 771, 67 S.Ct. 189, 91 L.Ed. 663 (LaTouraine and Lorraine); Spice Islands Co. v. Spice Land Products, Inc., 2 Cir., 1959, 262 F.2d 356 (Spice Islands and Spice Land). Granted that the word “art” is in the public domain, so also are “tips,” and “spice,” as well as “flash,” Western Oil Refining Co. v. Jones, 6 Cir., 1928, 27 F.2d 205, “new” (even when spelled “nu”) Nu-Enamel Corp. v. Armstrong Paint- & Varnish Works, 7 Cir., 1938, 95 F.2d 448, and countless others that have received protection. “Art” does not have the extensive use as a mark for rings that was held to deprive “Chateau” of protection for wines, Eastern Wine Corp. v. Wins-low-Warren, Ltd., 2 Cir., 137 F.2d 955, *161certiorari denied 1943, 320 U.S. 758, 64 S.Ct. 65, 88 L.Ed. 452; indeed, there was no evidence that anyone had used the word “art” as a mark for rings prior to plaintiff’s registration. The denial of trademark protection by a divided court in Warner Bros. Co. v. Jantzen, Inc., 2 Cir., 1957, 249 F.2d 353, 354 (A’Lure and Curvallure), is distinguishable on the basis that there “defendant did not use its coined word alone, but always joined it with its own widely known trademark consisting of the name ‘Jantzen’ and a representation of a diving girl.” And if Warner Bros. Co. v. Jantzen, Inc. was an unwarranted departure, as Chief Judge Lumbard thought, we should rejoin the trend that the Restatement and Judge Goodrich foresaw. How right they were in discerning the trend is shown by the following decisions granting protection that have appeared in the three months since this case was argued: Rex Shoe Co. v. Juvenile Shoe Corp., Gust. & Pat.App.1959, 273 F.2d 179 (Footthrills and Thrill-mates); Friedman v. Sealy, Inc., 10 Cir., 1959, 274 F.2d 255 (Posturepedic and Golden Sleep against Proper-Pedic and “The Golden Fleece”); In re Beaunit Mills, Inc., Oust. & Pat.App.1959, 274 F.2d 436 (Cultured Cotton and Cultured Bemberg); S. E. Mighton Co. v. La Pryor Milling Co., Gust. & Pat.App.1960, 274 F.2d 676 (Doggie Dinner and Dog-E-Dote). In the Friedman case, dealing with mattresses and springs, Judge Lewis answered my brothers’ argument based on the importance and infrequency of purchase, in language most persuasive to me, 274 F.2d at pages 261-262:
“This argument has its alternate side in that the construction of sleep equipment is not a matter of common knowledge and the consumer buys infrequently. He is thus forced to rely on his memory, more than his inspection, for the recall of names, guarantees, and endorsements. Under such circumstances, confusion can easily arise.”
I would affirm.