Trademark History

Trademark History

Introduction to Trademark History

Throughout history, makers of goods have put their names or other marks on things they produce. Items such as medieval swords and ancient Chinese pottery were marked with identifiable symbols so buyers could trace their origin and determine their quality. Before the 20th century, trademarks were usually symbols or pictures rather than words, since many people in the world could not read. Formal legal disputes over trademarks arose as far back as the early 17th century in England.

As trade increased in the 19th century, many countries adopted laws recognizing the legal rights of trademark owners. These laws prohibited other sellers from using similar marks that might confuse the public about the source of a product. Congress passed the first federal trademark law in the United States in 1870 and has made major revisions in the law since then. The current U.S. trademark statute, the Lanham Act, was enacted in 1946. The first international agreement dealing with trademark law was a treaty known as the Paris Convention. Adopted in 1883, it required members to recognize the trademark rights of foreign producers.

Most nations of the world, including Canada and the United States, are members of the Paris Convention. In 1994 most countries, again including Canada and the United States, signed another significant treaty dealing with international trademark law. This agreement, called the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS), strengthened legal protections for trademarks around the world. In 2003 the United States agreed to join still another trademark treaty known as the Madrid Protocol. That treaty makes it easier for a merchant to get trademark protection in several nations around the world with only a single application. About 60 nations, not including Canada, had joined the Madrid Protocol by late 2004.” (1)

Resources

Notes and References

Guide to Trademark History


Posted

in

,

by

Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *