Rogers & Brother v. Rogers

1 A. 807, 53 Conn. 121, 1885 Conn. LEXIS 40
CourtSupreme Court of Connecticut
DecidedAugust 21, 1885
StatusPublished
Cited by19 cases

This text of 1 A. 807 (Rogers & Brother v. Rogers) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Supreme Court of Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rogers & Brother v. Rogers, 1 A. 807, 53 Conn. 121, 1885 Conn. LEXIS 40 (Colo. 1885).

Opinions

Stoddard, J.

As we understand the finding and rulings of the Superior Court, practically the only question left for the determination of this court is in respect to the plaintiff’s exclusive right, as against these defendants, to stamp [147]*147the word “ Rogers ” upon silver-plated flat ware, such as knives, forks, spoons, etc. In considering this subject it must constantly be borne in mind that all questions of fact are finally disposed of by the Superior Court, and that this court cannot, even by inference, supplement such finding, or supply omitted facts. Under our practice this court is controlled by the finding as it comes to us. The case stands upon an answer denying the material allegations of the complaint, and in so far as the Superior Court omitted to find true the allegations and claims of the plaintiff, those allegations and claims must be regarded as not proved.

The defendants stamped upon the shanks of spoons and forks manufactured by them the combination of words “ C. Rogers & Bros. Al.” The plaintiffs’ stamp is “ * Rogers & Bro. Al.” The finding states in detail the use by several different partnerships or corporations of stamps all bearing the common and distinctive word “ Rogers,” and differing from each other in all other material respects except in the use of this common and conspicuous word “ Rogers,” one concern using a stamp with the word “ Rogers ” alone. The finding then proceeds: “ By reason of the numerous stamps on spoons, forks and knives, containing the word ‘Rogers,’ as before mentioned, and of the efforts of the various concerns who have used such stamps since 1847 to promote the sale of their goods as ‘ Rogers goods,’ the word ‘ Rogers ’ has become the conspicuous and familiar part of such stamps with a large class of retail buyers; and while jobbers and dealers, and those retail buyers who are informed of the facts, readily distinguish between the stamps of the different manufactories by the word or symbols which such stamps do not possess in common, those retail buyers of the articles who buy by the stamps or the single article look only to the word ‘ Rogers,’ and are for this reason liable to confound the various stamps; but generally the retail buyers who desire any information on the subject of the make of the goods, rely upon the dealer for such information.”

It appears from the extract that there are two governing [148]*148facts:—1st, that the word “ Rogers ” is the conspicuous, familiar, material and valuable thing in the various so-called trade-marks; 2d, that the stamp of the defendants is liable to be mistaken for that of the plaintiffs because of the use of the word “ Rogers,” and by that limited class alone who look only to the word “Rogers.” And again the case states :—“ Between the stamps so used by the defendants and the stamps used by the plaintiffs upon similar articles manufactured by them respectively, the dealers and jobbers in such articles have no difficulty in distinguishing. And this is also true of those retail buyers who look beyond the word ‘ Rogers.’ But those who regard the word ‘ Rogers ’ only would be liable to confound one with the other, as is the case of the various ‘ Rogers ’ stamps before mentioned. Retail buyers sufficiently acquainted with the various ‘ Rogers ’ stamps in the market to distinguish between the same would have no difficulty in distinguishing between the two stamps of the plaintiffs and defendants; but the general resemblance between the two stamps is such that a person knowing that of the plaintiffs and not knowing that of the defendants might, upon referring to it, but not reading it attentively, mistake it for that of the plaintiffs.” Thus, with reiteration the court below emphasizes the fact that the word “Rogers ” is the controlling word—the one thing that is the basis of all possible confusion or mistake in the use of the two stamps.

There is no finding nor suggestion of fact that any other part of the defendants’ stamp is answerable in any degree for that liability to mistake. If any other part of the stamp, in configuration, collocation, or combination of words, figures or symbols, or in other respect, contributed in any manner to deceive possible purchasers and enable the defendants to sell their goods as those of the plaintiffs, it should so have been found by the trial court. This court cannot find such facts from an inspection of the stamp itself. This is not a case where this court can pronounce as matter of law that the defendants’ stamp in other particulars so resembles that of the plaintiffs as to amount to a represen[149]*149tation that the goods are the plaintiffs’ goods. In this particular the case at bar differs from many of the cases cited in the briefs of counsel. In some of the English eases relied upon, and in other instances, the court determined from the evidence in the particular case whether the stamp was of objectionable character, thus exercising a combined jurisdiction over fact and law. In our courts, as before stated, these jurisdictions are separated, the fact being committed to the Superior Court, and the law to this court.

It is said that this stamp, “ C. Rogers & Bros. Al,” is “ stamped upon the backs of the shanks of the spoons and forks in the same manner and place as the plaintiffs’ goods are and have been stamped.” This is undoubtedly an evidential fact, from which the trial court might, in connection with other circumstances, have found a liability to deceive, on account of the location and peculiar characteristic of the defendants’stamps, but the court has not so found; presumptively the evidence did not warrant that conclusion; and, on the contrary, the court repeatedly tells us that the word “ Rogers ” alone is the only possible misleading character. And further, we are informed that “ the method of stamping their name upon such articles manufactured by them, and the locality of the stamp upon the article, has been that commonly employed by manufacturers of such silver-plated articles for many years. The mark ‘ Al ’ has been frequently used by manufacturers of such ware for many years as a mark of quality, and is so regarded in the trade.” Manifestly upon this condition of facts, in the absence of a finding that the location of the stamp, combining with its form, might have a misleading effect, we cannot say as matter of law that it does have that possible effect, particularly in view of this finding, that the location of the stamp is common to the trade, and the addition of the marks of quality,. “ Al,” is commonly used by manufacturers as a quality mark. We feel constrained by the facts in the case to say that there is no foundation laid for the claim that we should rule as matter of law that the judgment of the Superior Court is erroneous, so far as that [150]*150judgment relates to the stamp in question in other respects than the use of the word “ Rogers.”

This appeal raises the question of error or no error upon the facts found, and “ when, therefore, on such appeal, the record omits to present facts essential to the case of the appellant, this court can simply affirm the judgment, and cannot remand the case to the lower court for amendment, or a further hearing or finding.” Schlesinger v. Chapman, 52 Conn., 273.

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Bluebook (online)
1 A. 807, 53 Conn. 121, 1885 Conn. LEXIS 40, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rogers-brother-v-rogers-conn-1885.