Tiffany & Co. v. L'Argene Products Co.

67 Misc. 2d 384, 324 N.Y.S.2d 326, 171 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 106, 1971 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1837
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedFebruary 17, 1971
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 67 Misc. 2d 384 (Tiffany & Co. v. L'Argene Products Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Tiffany & Co. v. L'Argene Products Co., 67 Misc. 2d 384, 324 N.Y.S.2d 326, 171 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 106, 1971 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1837 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1971).

Opinion

Bernard Nadel, J.

Plaintiff sues for a permanent injunction to restrain defendants from using the trade name and trademark “ Tiffany ” in connection with the manufacture, sale and distribution of defendants’ perfume and cosmetics. Plaintiff designs, produces and sells a large variety of articles, including fine jewelry, watches, sterling silver, crystal, glassware, cut glass and chinaware, crystal perfume bottles, perfume flasks, and silver perfume dispensers, under the trade names “Tiffany” and 1 ‘ Tiffany & Co. ’ and has been in business for over a bun[386]*386dred years. In past years plaintiff has also sold perfumes, colognes, soaps and other toilet articles for both men and women. During the past 15 years plaintiff has spent more than seven million dollars in advertising its trade name and products and for said period the sales have been approximately $240,000,000.

Defendant Somlo claims that more than 25 years ago his father used the name “ 'Tiffani ” in a jewelry and perfume retail business which they operated in Budapest, Hungary. When defendant came to the United States in 1951 he opened a jewelry and watch business, which he sold prior to the organization of L’Argene Products Co., Inc. in 1954 or 1955. He then ventured into the perfume business where he sold his products under various names.

In 1967 defendants registered the name “ Tiffany” in New York State, as its trade-mark for perfume and related cosmetic products and began manufacturing and distributing perfume labeled “Tiffany”. Some of the containers have the name ‘ ‘ Tiffany ’ ’ in script similar to the script used by plaintiff, with the addition of a gem-like .symbol which defendants claim is a sunburst, and which has been discontinued. In compliance with an injunction issued by the court, there have been some recent changes in the box and the script used by defendants.

Plaintiff claims that defendant commenced using the name “ Tiffany ” in this country with the deliberate intent of trading on plaintiff’s reputation for outstanding quality established over many years by extensive advertising and impeccable service to its customers in the retail trade. Plaintiff contends that its dressing table sets, perfume bottles and dispensers are items within the category of elegant personal grooming accessories with which perfume and cosmetic products are normally associated ; that the use by defendant of the trade-mark ‘1 Tiffany ’ ’ tends to deceive and confuse the public in that the public believes said perfumes and cosmetics are products of the plaintiff; and that the addition of ‘ Distributed by L ’Argene ’ ’ does not clarify the situation since the public believes, or is likely to believe, that it is plaintiff Tiffany’s product, distributed by the defendant L’Argene.

Plaintiff urges that it is entitled to an injunction under both Federal and State law pertaining to trade-mark infringement and unfair competition. (Lanham Act, U. S. Code, tit. 15, § 1051 et seq., as amd., and General Business Law, § 368-d [the so-called “ anti-dilution statute and § 133.)

Defendants contend that plaintiff is not entitled to injunctive relief since they are not in competition with plaintiff’s products which they claim are not similar; that the price range and cus[387]*387tomer categories are different; that their perfume is sold to wholesalers and jobbers as a give-away item; that since the parties are not in competition, there cannot be a case of unfair competition; and that since the goods each sells are different there cannot be a case of infringement.

An examination of the numerous authorities cited in the several briefs submitted on behalf of both the plaintiff and defendants in support of their respective contentions reveals that each case dealing with unfair competition or trade-mark infringement must be decided on its own particular fact pattern, for the authorities are “numerous and diverse” (Fischer v. Blank, 138 N. Y. 244, 252), and that “ aside from the broad and well-established principles, not only is precedent difficult to ascertain, but in many instances the decisions seem incompatible ” (Dell Pub. Co. v. Stanley Pub., 9 N Y 2d 126, 133).

The facts in this case clearly indicate that plaintiff enjoys an excellent reputation for the quality and style of its merchandise and service. The trade name and mark “ Tiffany ” have acquired a unique status which has been recognized by this and other courts. (See Tiffany & Co. v. Tiffany Prods., 147 Misc. 679, affd. 237 App. Div. 801, affd. 262 N. Y. 482; Tiffany & Co. v. Boston Club, 231 F. Supp. 836; Cue Pub. Co. v. Colgate-Palmolive Co., 45 Misc 2d 161, affd. 23 A D 2d 829.)

Although defendants urge that they are selling their “ Tiffany ” perfume to wholesalers and jobbers as a give-away premium item, the evidence shows that they placed an ad in the October, 1969 issue of Penthouse Magazine, a national publication. Their advertising consists of a glossy brochure featuring their “ Tiffany perfume in the gold filigree bottle, beautifully hand packaged and staged in a fabulously luxurious presentation jewelry box. Preciously sealed in an elegantly gold finished filigree spill proof bottle ” — “as advertised in Penthouse magazine .* * * the world’s most exciting perfume * * * sold only at the finest .stores.”

Defendants’ advertising certainly negates their claims that they are distributors of a give-away item and that they aim to sell to a different clientele. The emphasis in their ad is on the container — not on the perfume. The descriptive terms emphasize gold and jewelry. Plaintiff does sell perfume containers and dispensers. This packaging and advertising is evidence of bad faith and an intent to deceive and confuse the public by attributing to defendants’ product most of the aspects of high quality associated with plaintiff Tiffany and by describing their product in words and terms which are associated with the name “ Tiffany ”.

[388]*388On the other hand, when defendants merchandise their products, marked ‘ Tiffany ’ ’, as give-away items, they tarnish and dilute plaintiff’s world-famous name and reputation for excellence and high quality of its products and impair the value of its trade name.

Defendants’ contention that there must be direct competition between the parties before an injunction will issue, lacks merit. In Forsythe Co. v. Forsythe Shoe Corp. (234 App. Div. 355, 358) the court stated: “Appellant has cited authorities in this State which, it is argued, hold that there must be direct competition before an injunction will issue. On the contrary, the whole trend of decision is to prevent by injunction a threatened competition which is unfair, being calculated to impair the value of a trade name or to deceive the public. [Citing cases.] ”

Both Federal and New York State courts have enjoined the use of another’s name irrespective of whether there was direct competition between the parties (Tiffany & Co. v. Tiffany Prods., supra; Sullivan v. Sullivan Radio & T. V., 1 A D 2d 609; Hunt Foods & Ind. v. Gerson Stewart Corp., 367 F. 2d 431, 435; Fleishmann Distilling Corp. v. Maier Brewing Co., 314 F. 2d 149). In addition, perfume containers have been held to be goods of the same descriptive properties as perfume. (See Elgin Amer. Mfg. Co. v. Elisabeth Arden, Inc., 83 F.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

DeWeerth v. Baldinger
658 F. Supp. 688 (S.D. New York, 1987)
Gucci Shops, Inc. v. RH MacY & Co., Inc.
446 F. Supp. 838 (S.D. New York, 1977)
Columbia Industries, Inc. v. Tiffany & Co.
497 F.2d 1358 (Customs and Patent Appeals, 1974)
Sample, Inc. v. Porrath
41 A.D.2d 118 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1973)
Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith v. Arab Anti-Defamation League
72 Misc. 2d 847 (New York Supreme Court, 1972)
Shadow Box, Inc. v. Drecq
71 Misc. 2d 733 (New York Supreme Court, 1972)
Tradewell Stores, Inc. v. T. B. & M., Inc.
500 P.2d 1290 (Court of Appeals of Washington, 1972)
Coca-Cola Company v. Gemini Rising, Inc.
346 F. Supp. 1183 (E.D. New York, 1972)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
67 Misc. 2d 384, 324 N.Y.S.2d 326, 171 U.S.P.Q. (BNA) 106, 1971 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1837, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/tiffany-co-v-largene-products-co-nysupct-1971.