Statue of Liberty was protected by an intellectual property

On December 23, 2009 in General

Lotrisone For Sale Propecia Generic Buy Inderal Online Amoxil Without Prescription Prevacid No Prescription Zyban For Sale Clarinex Generic Buy Zyban Online Lipitor Without Prescription Neurontin No Prescription

The importance of nurturing and protecting creation of the human mind was felt for long and the outcome was the system of Intellectual Property Protection, which includes patents, copyrights, designs and trademarks among others. These forms of intellectual property are deeply embedded in cultural, political and social history. The Statue of Liberty is a product of a fertile human mind, and was awarded a suitable protection under the intellectual property regime to the creator.  It also happens to be one of the greatest historical monument US boasts off. French Sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi was issued a Designs patent (USD011023) for “liberty enlightening the world” on Feb 18, 1879.  Industrial Designs is a form of intellectual property, and is generally referred to as Design Patents in the US.  Often times, it is known only as Designs.  Interestingly even before applying for a Design Patent in 1879, Bartholdi put the statue for public display at an exhibition in France to further fund the construction! Bartholdi filed for a Design Patent in US on Jan 2, 1879, which was subsequently granted on Feb 18, 1879.  This means the Design Patent was granted even before the final version of the article in question was completed! The term of the Design Patent was 14 years. Statue of Liberty was only the second Design Patent issued in US, the first one was for a new font to George Bruce in 1843 (http://www.google.com/patents?vid=D1).The statue has an incredible journey from the hands of Bartholdi in France to the Ellis island, now called the Liberty Island in New York.  It all started when French historian Edouard Laboulaye suggested a statue as a token of friendship from the people of France to the people of United States, intended to commemorate the centennial of the American Declaration of Independence. Bartholdi was the brain behind the copper colossus. The Framework of Steel supporting the statue was designed by Gustave Eiffel (the designer of Eiffel tower). It was completed in June 1884. The statue was dismantled and shipped to America in 350 pieces. The statue arrived at the New York harbor in June 1885. The statue stands at 305 feet. The Design Patent describes the statue as a woman wearing a stola, a radiant crown and sandals, trampling a broken chain, carrying a torch in her raised right hand and a tablet , where the date of the Declaration of Independence JULY IV MDCCLXXVI is inscribed, in her left arm.The very same Americans who now take pride in this world monument (now a UNICEF recognized World Heritage site and a top twenty entry to the new wonders of the world) opposed the erection of the statue as they believed the Statue of Liberty will give ideas of freedom to the slaves. Hence no funding came from the rich Americans. A young Journalist, Joseph Pulitzer decided to raise money for the construction of the Pedestal and requested Miss Emma Lazarus to write a poem, later titled “The New Colossus”, whose famous line “Give Me Your Tired, Your Poor…..” was inscribed on the pedestal for generating funds, which eventually mostly came from the underprivileged section of the society. And from then on the statue is seen as an inspiration for a revolution representing liberty and democracy. It was finally erected in Oct 1886, 11 years after of planning and fund raising.Further, on Aug. 31, 1876, the US Copyright Office issued copyright registration number 9939-g for the “Statue of American Independence” as the “Statue of Liberty” was first named. (http://www.copyright.gov/history/lore/2004/aug04-lore.pdf).

Comments (0)