Does YOUR moniker matter?

[gremlinglass]

Doing an internet search for my company name a few years ago I found pictures of a guy using the Gremlin Glass name to vend shows and a picture of him making a wonky ass flare. Google: Gremlin Glass images. Most all the glass you see there is my past work but the picture of the guy doing the ISO piece is not me. It's a guy on the west coast calling himself Gremlin and using the Gremlin Glass company name. Check out Youtube and search "Gremlin Glass" there is a video of him working with Paul Trautman (EGS Team Trautman/Gremlin) that tells the tale. They are making a piece called "A glassblowers nightmare."
I have 2 copyright trademarked logos for my company Gremlin Glass. One created by Richard Biffle and the other created by Derek Riggs.
Glasspipes.org gallery GremlinGlass thats me
Glassartists.org gallery GremlinGlass thats me
Marbleartists.org gallery GremlinGlass thats me too

So... whats up with that?
I'd rather him copy my work than try an take credit for it.

[Kato]

Shitty about your name, but isnt this exact same conversation going on in another thread right now? anywhoos All I have to worry with my name is some crazy Japanese glassblower to come in and steal my thunder. Lotsa Kato's over there. And I've always signed my pieces "Katø." Which I realized recently is actually pronounced kah-too lolololol

[Aymie]

It's not just the same conversation, its a copy and paste of his exact post in that thread.

[Black Fire]

is your business name registered with tax#, EIN, ABN, that kinda stuff? If so, get a hold of the guy and see if you can work it out.......

[Blind]

First, Copyright and trademark are two different things. You do kind of need to protect your trademarks or risk losing them (which is where many of those retarded sounding court cases come from where someone is arguing over a name).

Have you registered the trademarks with the USPTO?

[Riley]

i always associate kato with oj. besides now that we are unclear as to who became gremlin first, my only suggestion would be to directly contact the other guy, in a civilized way, and discuss how you both feel about it. perhaps he might like to change his name, or perhaps you would, or maybe you both join together and you can help him with his "wonky ass flare" and become the "gremlin bros".

and then theres prince, who had a good thing going with the symbol and formerly known as. its all about the backstory anyway right.

[gremlinglass]

Kato and Aymie....
Yes I did copy and paste most of it.

Black Fire...
Yes my business is registered with VA. tax I.D., business license and fictitious name.

Blind....
I understand that. Yes the Richard Biffle art and Derek Riggs art is copyrighted art that was created for my company by those artist.
Yes the Gremlin Glass logo is my Trademarked material. I have proof of dates and artists will verify.

Riley...
LOL! I would love to directly contact the other guy can someone please tell me his real name or PM with his contact info?

I would like to hear his response to these questions also.

[Blind]

Blind....
I understand that. Yes the Richard Biffle art and Derek Riggs art is copyrighted art that was created for my company by those artist. I know that. This post is copyrighted. My last post is copyrighted. Copyright is automatically granted on creation but it only covers rights to distribute and recreate works (namely, the logo). It has nothing to do with trademark (other than trademarks are copyrighted).

You have copyrights on your glass creations (And photos of said creations). You have a trademark that you can tag your creations with to identify them.



Yes the Gremlin Glass logo is my Trademarked material. I have proof of dates and artists will verify.
This is the more important matter.

I am assuming that it is not a registered trademark. I also am not sure if the date of creation matters for the defense of the trademark as much as date of usage; ie, the logo is created in 2005 but isn't applied to products until 2008 (Which, again, is why registering trademarks simplifies things).

Also, for example, if you began your product line in 2008 on the east coast, he started in 2009 on the west coast, and in 2010 you began moving into what is effectively his market, that creates other fun complications (assuming no one registered their trademark which I believe simplifies the matter).

But bringing this back to the topic question, yes your moniker matters, but what you are doing with it matters a tad bit more. I could use "Blind" as my tag on glass sites for years and then decide that I want to start making products under "Blind Glass". That doesn't mean that after doing piddly shit for a year and then expanding that I might not have difficulty when a skateboard company takes notice of me.

If your moniker is worth fighting for and you have grounds to do so, contact the guy and see if something can be worked out (or sue). If you don't have a defense it may not be worth it. Talking to a lawyer versed in trademark law probably would be worth the cost just to make sure you understand where your stand.

[gremlinglass]

Yes a full color copy of my trademark was sent in to become a registered trademark along with a fee within a week after it's creation over 9 years ago.

Anyone have that name or contact info?

[bildo]

If the dude works with TAG, call them and get them to have buddy call you. If he doesnt call you, investigate who he is, if he has a company people can reach him. If he doesnt want to speak to you have a lawyer contact him and take it to court. Or fly to Oregon and fist to face.......

[Aymie]

Like I said in the other thread, ask trautman. Or call EGS.

[bildo]

I just googled gremlin glass. There is a gremlin glass in MASS. Stained glass I think her name is susanna. There is a gremlin glass in socal. Also stained and leaded glass. There is a gremlin glass in VA Roy Hicks is his name Borosilicate. Then there is Gremlin, with momentum glass in Portland. They have a website and there phone number is 971 255 7428. If this dude is working witha company like Trautman, he is prob not a bad guy. Gremlin seems like a name that cool people might like. I really liked the above idea about joining forces. You guys could call yourself Gremlins or Gremlins 2 or The Brothers Gremlin. I didnt mean to put Momentum Glass on blast but it was a simple Google research and they have ground joints for sale. So maybe when you call them you could order some supplies too. Hope this helps

[Mecha]

Step one: Team up with all other "Gremlins".

Step two: Buy 1977 Gremlin in mint condition.

Step three: Drive around the country solving glass related mysteries.

I see potential....

[bildo]

I think I might have to change my name. If we all want to unite we should all change our name to Gremlin. The GAA, Gremlin Association of America

[mer]

it seems unlikely to me that you were the first or last person to go by the name gremlin. before i got on the internet i was not familiar with your work or reputation and i live in a town where glass is the central focus. i'm just saying that there might not be any malice to it. hell, he might be looking for you saying the same things you're saying. the whole thing comes off as overly defensive to a bystander. i say let your reputation speak for you and continue to promote your name. if you wanted to be unique i think you would have had to make up your own moniker.

[Bglass]

this was the first gremlin i knew of, being fresh on the scene and finding glasspipes.org this was pasted all over the front page and was a featured gallery then for quite some time considering the page wasn't that big and there wernt that many artists on there. http://www.glasspipes.org/Gal3174_A_Happy_Halloween_.asp
this was posted on Halloween of 03 and i remember the day looking at it and being sooo stoked to see glass like that!! it was that page and one of deppes alien in the space ship that exposed me to headdie glass art all thanks to glasspipes.org!!!

he was the first one i know of to make really nice mini headdies and post them to the world. i remember when he posted his first mini pipe pendants on the black board. i remember when i saw them go for like a couple hundred bucks a pop and i was like really? then i tried to make one and quickly found out how hard they where.


now ive met some gremlins too, the momentum one introduced himself to me and fist thing i said was hey your they guy on glasspipes who makes the mini headdies right? he said i dont have a glass pipes page and was almost offended i got him mixed up. seemed like he was!.
but for the record this gremlin was the first i heard of and the first who obviously tried to make a name for himself way back in 02-03.
whenever ive heard the name gremlin ive always referenced this guy as gremlin.
when i saw the tag video i was thinking in my head the same thing this gremlin thought. hey there is already another gremlin glass.

you guys with the easy one of a kind handle have it lucky! ive been having this same problem for some time now with there being at least 5 other glass blowers with my name on the west coast that i know of and we all get mixed up. all of us go by our first name because its somewhat original. and i know that at least three or four deal with the same shops and distributors as i have or still do. its a pain and i see where gremlin is coming from.

[gremlinglass]

Overly defensive huh? Okay. Really don't know why I bother. Who cares right? 2 Gremlins, 3 Salts, 4 Ghosts whats the difference. (No disrespect to Salt or Ghost your art kicks ass.)

That Halloween bub is from my glasspipes.org gallery. It was a collaboration piece I made with another member of this board Alf. I think I was like the 6th artist to have a gallery on glasspipes.org and stayed in the top 100 until I stopped posting pics for awhile. Thanks for remembering Blake


Peace,
GREMLIN

[LarryC]

If I buy a Gremlin will I get a cute blonde like in that picture?

[Aymie]

Ok, you don't like defensive? How about egotistical? Why is your immediate thought that this guy is trying to knock off your stuff and your name? Should the movie producers be mad at you for stealing their name?

[gremlinglass]

There's a movie called Gremlin I had no idea.

Grem-lin:
1. An imaginary gnomelike creature to whom mechanical problems, especially in aircraft, are attributed.
2. A maker of mischief.

In fact, gremlin is first recorded only in the 1920s, as a Royal Air Force term for a low-ranking officer or enlisted man saddled with oppressive assignments.

[gremlinglass]

8 Wonkas

[mer]

you just made our point, tyvm. you can't claim exclusive rights to a name you didn't create. it's not a dis and it doesn't mean we don't respect your work. it's just when you come on the forum you're often driving the whaambulance. we don't share your outrage, it's just a condition of being in an overpopulated world.

there are like 7 mermonkeys out there last time i googled.

[ALIEN!]

There's an Alien Glassworks in NY state I found out about when trying to set up an Alien Glass account on Facebook. Oh well. There's a piper on every corner in this country.....part of the reason Im constantly looking for an exit to this ridiculous market. When I am actually making fine art, and actually have a well known brand I care about, then maybe I'd think about cease and desist orders. But for now, Im just another clown making fucking pipes for a living. Seriously, there's so many people making pipes anymore its rediculous, if you want a unique name for your glass business you're gonna have to start using other languages, everything worth using in english has been done. Dumpkopf Glass. There's one that probly aint being used, check with the Germans first though, don't take it from me.

There's a whole fleet of Aliens. Might wanna run for cover.

[Riley]

i recognized you as the only gremlin i have known.

always dug your minis and already said that in the other section. blake was right on point; well before any social media, or the these forums, i was enjoying looking at your tiny creations, amongst some very killer artists of the day who we rarely see anymore.

this is also a problem. this industry has grown so much in the past 10 years, even in the past 3 or 4 years so much has changed. there are many new blowers and enthusiasts taking part, many of whom don't know alot of the artists that were around years ago or some of the innovative stuff that they have been doing.


in some ways thats alright. things change. people do techniques, then are admired for them, then time goes on, they are somewhat forgotten, and their technique is done again, and those who weren't around the first time(s), believe they are seeing it for the first time.


in the end it comes down to current relevance. people are calling this "defensive", but yet you say this has come to your attention a few years ago. so it may just be that you have held onto that till now, and can put it to rest to whatever capacity you can. you are the relevant gremlin glass as far as i am concerned, and have been for years. so contact this guy however and resolve it for yourself, and post some more stuff up here, glasspipes.org, and elsewhere and reestablish yourself as the best gremlin of your lot.

[gremlinglass]

Right on.

[Riley]

to anyone else has hasn't had the chance, browse the entirety of the features archived on glasspipes.org. it doesn't take long, and can be digested over time, or repeatedly, and i think much of the work is still relevant.

http://www.glasspipes.org/Gallery_PagesByMonth.asp?Featured=1

[Aymie]

I am not saying you shouldn't be miffed and disappointed that someone else is using the same name. I am just saying there is no reason to feel its malicious or even known to him. If you just found out about him, he may not even know about you.

[Sketchball]

Didn't notice this thread when I responded in part to your post in the Rip-off Artists thread. Here's my post if you're interested.

Here's the sum of it tho


TL;DR: Name duplications/overlaps are usually just harmless misunderstandings. If work is mimicked, duplicated or otherwise copied and sold under someone else's name is counterfeiting/forging. (Ie. A person making work that looks like Salt and selling it as his with that name - maybe even calling him self Salt.... that is fraud)

I'll skim this thread later but I thought I'd throw this in here

People who know your name probably know you from your work - not by name alone. If someone is selling cheap ISO with your name, I doubt it will be mistaken for yours. He's not stealing your business or trying to impersonate you.... so what is the problem exactly? Gremlin is too common or basic of a name to get mad at a dude for using it also

[gremlinglass]

Cool.

[Julian]

Whoah woah, Derek Riggs drew your logo? The Iron Maiden artist?? That's colossal.

[gremlinglass]

Yes the very same artist Derek Riggs that created the "Eddie" character for Iron Maiden. Go check out his web site under pictures he list the art there under Gremlin Glass.
I have always been a great fan of his work and was stoked when he asked for my glass art for payment for the work. Really cool guy.
Derek Riggs and Richard Biffle are my favorite artist of all time and now I own original artwork from booth of them.:D

[Dazza]

If I buy a Gremlin will I get a cute blonde like in that picture?

For sure you do!
That exact model is available. She was 18 in 1977.
Time machines are extra.
d

[J Howard]

i'm glad you mentioned the movie - that scared the crap out of me when i was a kid. 1983?

if you haven't seen it, they multiply when they get wet, and turn evil when you feed them after midnite. how's that for irony?


best of luck.

i've always used my real name. crayvn was just a joke of a screen name here

[SNYD]

This thread just made me forget how to spell my name damnit!

[gremlinglass]

That's another way you can tell the dude in the "EGS Trautman/Gremlin" video isn't a real gremlin cause when Trautman pours water on him nothing happens! A real gremlin would never ask you to pour water on him. Fake
J the initials of my proper name are RJH and I think there are already a couple of marble makers with RJH. I have stuck with my Gremlin signature since I discovered this.

[J Howard]

lol, touché

[kage]

i find it hard to believe you've never seen nor heard of the gremlin movie. and everyone knows angelina jolie is the real salt

is this you?
http://www.glassartists.org/Gal164802_Gremlins_Suns_Of_The_Omniverse_Marble_W_ Alien_Inspector.asp

[Mac Maestro]

Roy!! Seems like you had a big enough name to where someone would not try to use the same one... Must be just one of those things. 'Ego' or not, you are the original Gremlin to me, my friend.

"Maestro" on the other hand is totally original. No one has been called that before, and no one ever will be called that again but ME! Obviously kidding. I picked that maybe 12 years ago only knowing the music reference. I was a bit embarrased when I found out it is used in glass and is typically reserved for the Italian glass gods. Lol.

[ACE]

i was totally with you until you said you've never seen the movie gremlins.

*shakes head*

[gremlinglass]

There was a statement made in this post which was "Should the movie producers be mad at you for stealing their name?"
I'm not calling myself Steven Spielberg so no I don't think he should be mad. The movie I believe that is being referred to is GREMLINS in which none of the characters are named Gremlin.
Yes I've seen booth the GremlinS movies and plan to see part 3. Great flick!
If I was ripping of Gremlins the movie with my moniker I would of had Biffle make the character in my logo modeled after one of the characters in that movie. I specifically ask him to stay away from those GremlinS because this was not the type of gremlin I wished to depict in the logo. I was going for the more traditional meaning of the word. I asked him to create the logo using his own unique vision of what a glass blowing gremlin would look like in his mind and that's what I got.

Thanks Maestro! You will always be the one and only Maestro in the glass community that I know. If I catch any glass gods trying to bite your moniker I'll let 'em know whats up bro.

[ACE]

There's a movie called Gremlin I had no idea


The movie I believe that is being referred to is GREMLINS in which none of the characters are named Gremlin.
Yes I've seen booth the GremlinS movies and plan to see part 3.

aren't we being a little asinine here?

BTW, ACE is my real initials, but years ago when i thought glasspipes.org was cool and i went to go make an account ACE was taken and i ended up with Princess Fernypoo, which is a name i'll never use to sign or sell my glass. I didn't give any indication it was me posting, but someone i knew from college saw my account and said "hi ace!". i'll bet a quarter there are tons of ACE's out there, but no one seems to have trouble confusing them with me. If your work looks different, people will remember.

[Sketchball]

Stepping all over his divine creation. Don't say anything if you're not going to back him up - he doesn't want to hear it.

Who says we can't all just get along?
http://i201.photobucket.com/albums/aa279/Bleezies/jetglasses.png

And ACE, it's cool to see another initials/word "moniker". Not sure how I never realized that haha

[NUBBLET]

if you have one its called a gremlin , multiple like the movies namesake is gremlins. They also were not called gremlins I dont think till they turned green and mean, before that they are called Moguay ?sp? I believe.

[Kevin Bumble]

beat that horse......












is it glue yet?

[gremlinglass]

I'm pretty sure one is Mogwai. If there are more than one it's still Mogwai. Like "Look at those two Mogwai." or "There are Mogwai all over the place!"
After they change to the bad version they are still Mogwai.
Mr. Butterman brings up Gremlins when Kate is kickin his drunk ass out of the bar....
Mr Butterman:
Gremlins.... You gotta watch out for foreigners cause they plant Gremlins in your machinery. It's the same Gremlins that brought down our planes in the big one. That's right world war 2. The ol' W W I I.
Yea know they still ship 'em over here...
Later he tells his wife that the Mogwai driving his Kentucky Harvester through his house is a Gremlin.

Don't remember any horse

[Shatner]

I'm pretty sure one is Mogwai. If there are more than one it's still Mogwai. Like "Look at those two Mogwai." or "There are Mogwai all over the place!"
After they change to the bad version they are still Mogwai.
Mr. Butterman brings up Gremlins when Kate is kickin his drunk ass out of the bar....
Mr Butterman:
Gremlins.... You gotta watch out for foreigners cause they plant Gremlins in your machinery. It's the same Gremlins that brought down our planes in the big one. That's right world war 2. The ol' W W I I.
Yea know they still ship 'em over here...
Later he tells his wife that the Mogwai driving his Kentucky Harvester through his house is a Gremlin.

Don't remember any horse

Fuckin' REPPED!!!

[NUBBLET]

Elsewhere, the other Mogwai have hatched into Gremlins, mischievous reptilian creatures with sharp teeth and claws,

its from wiki so whatever. Cant base everything on wiki but some info is fair.

[jedi glassworks]

You know, there are two Jedi Glassworks out there, one on the east coast, and us on the west coast. We came up with our names pretty much at the same time, almost 15 years ago. NEITHER of us bitch and complain about it and we BOTH hear about each other. We both go to tradeshows and we've managed to stay friendly. Just chill.

And by the way, I've know the west coast gremlin since he was a kid, and as far as I know, he has been going by that name for over a decade. You can get a hold of him though, he owns Momentum Glass Supply in Porltand. Call him and have a talk.

And yes, you do sound a bit whiny.

Bryan

[Slow]

My alias was bestowed upon me (due to an injury I suffered in a hurricane) long before I could back it up with any decent work, and I could never think of a better one. Don't tell that Worm guy... although I doubt he'd argue with the "Lowly" part.

[TlkQ]

I'd like to see this Biffle logo. How did you go about getting that made? I fucking love his work.

[brettodie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1xqrdtJs8w

[mer]

My alias was bestowed upon me (due to an injury I suffered in a hurricane) long before I could back it up with any decent work, and I could never think of a better one. Don't tell that Worm guy... although I doubt he'd argue with the "Lowly" part.
unless you are the lathe worker from CO. named worm you have a double too! welcome to the overpopulated planet. now be unique!!!

[Ronin]

I've been Louis Cipher since the 80's, and I am in the process of making it legal. but it's a popular nickname. I just did a search and found 11 Louis Ciphers on Facebook alone.

[Bunyip]

I've been 'online' in some form or another for almost 30 years now... Whenever I got my first Apple ][ computer anyhow, back in the BBS days, and if there's one thing I've learned, it is that there are vanishingly few names that 90,000 other people haven't already thought of.

Even back then, there were about a thousand people with the online handle "Gandalf", for example, and they had this exact same fight...constantly. Pretty much all the cool names are taken...you just deal with it and create a unique identity and protect what you can of that, but then you move on and realize that getting upset is stupid unless someone is actively trying to jack your identity or whatever.

[TlkQ]

I started out using "thatloserkidquinn" Which evolved to TlkQ. I've been trying to use "Quinn the Eskimo" because it's easier to remember than TlkQ but it's taken on most sites and as a domain. Whatevs, TlkQ is more unique anyway