Ok folks,
the description on the auction page has been modified and it no
longer mentions my name.
Wether it was because of the combined pressure of all your emails, or
on request from ebay I don't know: probably the first, since I never
heard from ebay.
Thanks very very much for your help and the warmth I felt around me!
By the way the item is still there on ebay and it is still a rip off,
so it is a half-victory, but hopefully by now most everyone will know
the situation and the model will not sell.
On the other hand he can sell it cheaper than me, because he did not
have the cost of making a master, or having it done by a modeller and
that might attract someone. But I will explain the situation on the
Speed Record Club newsletter and on Grand Prix Models' Four Small
Wheels, so hopefully the guy will have to work on something of his
own in the future, or quit the scene.
Re James' comments, the problem is different than with trade marks.
Unfortunately one cannot register every model. Besides the cost of
registering in different countries, which would not make sense in
view of the very small production numbers involved, it would actually
be almost impossible to win a cause: to start with, a clone in resin
would not have the same dimensions of the original, and it would
suffice to introduce just a couple of minor changes to walk away with
it. Which would make the very concept of sueing somebody unrealistic.
Not to mention the costs...
I could only sue the guy if he uses my name or tries to pass his
models as my work.
Ok, anyway, if nothing else, this experience has proved that people
in the land speed community do care and for me that is worth more
than any financial loss one could suffer. My "loyal competitors"
permitting, I will keep doing my best to preserve little bits of the
land speed history by modelling to the best of my ability a few more
cars that made that history.
A big THANK YOU to all of you!
Ugo Fadini
(Padova, Italy)
www.ugofadini.com
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Ugo Fadini
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