Von Mumm v. Frash

56 F. 830, 1893 U.S. App. LEXIS 2724
CourtU.S. Circuit Court for the District of Eastern New York
DecidedJune 7, 1893
StatusPublished
Cited by32 cases

This text of 56 F. 830 (Von Mumm v. Frash) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering U.S. Circuit Court for the District of Eastern New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Von Mumm v. Frash, 56 F. 830, 1893 U.S. App. LEXIS 2724 (circtedny 1893).

Opinion

BENEDICT, District Judge.

This is a salt in equity, brought by G-. IT. Mumm & Co., manufacturers of champagne wine, to restrain the defendants from infringing their trade-mark, and from conducting- an unfair competition, by manufacturing and sidling their iuam-facture put up in a form calculated to induce its purchase as the champagne wine known as “G-. H. Mumm & Co.’s Extra Dry.” The following facts appear by the testimony: The complainants are aliens engaged in the production of champagne wine at Reims, in the republic of France, under the style of G. II. 'Mumm & Co. Their business was established there in 1831, and their wines have since been (extensively sold in the United States. During the year .1806 they originated a champagne wine having what is known as a “dry” flavor. To this wine they then gave tin; name of “Extra Dry.” This name they have ever since applied, in a .variety of ways, upon the bottles in which they have; sold wine of the character originated by them in 1866, and upon no other bottles. This wine, upon its introduction into the United Etates, became popular-. Eince then, according to the testimony of complainants’ agents, millions of bottles of it have been sold in the United States, and for a period of from 15 to 20 years it lias been one of the most, if not the most, popular brand of champagne sold in the United States. Tins words “Extra Dry,” thus applied to the wine in question when it: was first put upon the market, have been so extensively and so exclusively used to designate this particular wine that the words have come to he, to a large extent:, a name whereby to distinguish the wine as wine manufactured by (he complainants, and of the quality of the wine originated by them in 1866. It also appears that, ¡since (he popularity of this wine was assured, other manufacturers have, to some extent, used the words “Extra Dry” in connection with wines of their manufacture; but according to the testimony the term has never come to be the well-known name of any wine, saw; only the champagne wine of G. 13. Mumm & Co., so named by them in 1866. This is shown by the testimony in the case that a written order, “Idease give flu; bearer one pint of ‘Extra Dry’ cold,” when presented at the As tor House, at ¡he Cosmopolitan Hotel, at ¡he Hoffman Mouse, at the Ht. James Hoi el, and at the cafes of Frederick Gerkens, of 'Nelson & Co., of Cable, Bailey & Go., in each instance, brought a bottle of G-. If. Mumm & Co.’s Extra Dry Champagne. The effect of this testimony is not overcome by the testimony introduced in behalf of the defendants to show- that in other places a similar order provoked {lie inquiry, "What brand of ‘Extra Dry?’”

In order further to distinguish their champagne wine of tin; character in question, Gf. H. Mumm. & Co., at the time of introducing [832]*832the wine, placed upon all bottles containing wine of tbis character a new and characteristic metal capsule, of a peculiar rose color, differing in color from any other known capsule then in use, upon which capsule were stamped the words “G-. H. Mumm & Co.;” and this rose-colored capsule, which the complainants were the first to adopt, and which they applied to their champagne, named by them “Extra Dry,” has come to be an important, if not the principal, means by which, in practice, that wine is identified. The manager of the Astor House bar testifies that he is invariably governed by the rose-colored cap in identifying this wine. Mr. Chamberlain, of Washington, testifies that, when he sees the rose-colored cap upon, a bottle of champagne wine, he takes it to be G-. H. Mumm & Co.’s Extra Dry. The importance of the cap of a bottle of champagne wine as a means of identification appears by the fact proved, that in use the principal label upon a bottle of champagne wine is frequently washed off when the wine is cooled, and, if still remaining on the bottle when served, is often covered by the napkin usually wrapped about a bottle of wine when the wine is poured out.

Furthermore, in order to distinguish wines of their manufacture, Gf. H. Mumm & Co., shortly after their organization, some 40 years ago, adopted a trade-mark consisting of the representation of an eagle with head erect and wings extended, which they applied to all of their wines by means of labels and otherwise. This trademark they registered in. the United States in 1876, and in the year 1881. They have also used extensively, in connection with ihe wine in question, advertising show cards, containing the representation of a French or imperial mantle, on which were imprinted the words, “Gf. H. Mumm & Co. Extra Dry;” and this to such an extent, according to the testimony, that the mantle, with the words “Extra Dry” imprinted upon it, has become associated with the wine in question in the public mind. ■

These several identifying marks have been placed upon all bottles of the Gf. H. Mumm & Co.’s Extra Dry Champagne in the following-manner: In the upper field of the principal label of the bottle the trade-mark above described is imprinted. Just below the capsule a small label is placed, upon which the above described trade-mark is also imprinted. Above this label the neck and mouth of the bottle is inclosed in a metal capsule of the peculiar rose color adopted by G-. H. Mumm & Co. in 1866, upon which capsule the words “Gf. H. Mumm & Co.,” running perpendicularly, are stamped in the metal. On the top of the capsule is stamped, in blue color, the imperial mantle above described, upon which mantle the trade-mark is also stamped. By these means a very perfect identification of the wine is accomplished.

The defendants make and sell a fluid which, according to the testimony, is American wine aerated; tliat is to say, made to sparkle, when the bottle is opened, by introducing carbonic acid gas into the bottle, under pressure. This manufacture the defendants dress up as follows: They use an ordinary champagne bottle. In the upper part of the principal label upon the bottle they place the [833]*833words “Extra Dry,” and also a colorable; imitation of the trade-mark of G. 11. Mumm & Co., imprinted upon a colorable imitation of the imperial mantle above described. Just below the capsule they place a label, on which is a similar imitation of the trade mark and mantle of G-. H. Mumm & Co., and the words “Extra Dry.” Above this label they inclose the neck and mouth of the bottle in a metal capsule of the rose color adopted in 1866 for G. H. Mumm & Co.’s Extra Dry. Upon the capsule the words “Extra Dry” are stamped, the words running perpendicularly, in (he same place where, on the wine of (1. H. Mumm & Co., the name of “G. II. Mumm & Co.” is stamped. Upon the top of this metal capsule the defendants stamp, in blue color, an imitation of the trade-mark and the imperial mantle employed by the complainants to identify G. H. Mumm & Oo.’s Extra Dry. It will be observed that in two places upon their bottle, where, upon a bottle of the complainants’ wine, the words “G. H. Mumm & Co.” are placed, the defendants put the words ‘Extra Dry,” which words, as already slated, have, by long and extensive use, become associated in the public mind with G. II. Mumm & Co.’s Extra, Dry, as the name thereof. From this description it is seen that the similarity in the dressing up of the Lotties of the defendants’ manufacture and the bottles of G. II. Mumm & Co.’s Extra Dry is striking.

The principal labels upon the bottles of the defendants’ manufacture differ in some particulars from the principal labels on the complainants’ bottles. On the principal label of a bottle of the genuine G. II.

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Bluebook (online)
56 F. 830, 1893 U.S. App. LEXIS 2724, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/von-mumm-v-frash-circtedny-1893.