Ceramic Greenware Copyrights

[Gale aka artistefem]

I have a collection of bisqued greenware objects that I've picked up over the years from "glaze your own" ceramics businesses that I use as molds for glasswork I sell.

It would seem in this case that the bisquewear is sold with the understanding that people who glaze it might also sell the finished ceramic pieces. Do we have this same option in using the ceramic artist or ceramic bisquewear companies' mold designs for our own glasswork?

I have actually seen copyright marks on some greenware, although none of the bisqued pieces I use have copyright marks.

Anyone have any definitive knowledge regarding copyright issues in this area?

[Bert Weiss]

Gale

The bottom line in copyright issues is that you can do whatever you want until somebody orders you to cease. That is the scary reality.

If there are no copyright marks and no other documentation stating otherwise, I would assume you are legally and ethically in the clear.

[Barbara Cashman]

I, too, use the greenware pieces purchased in ceramic shops and have them fired to bisque, after I have cleaned it or reshaped it to use as a mold. My thinking is that the piece was made to be "altered" for use...ie: duplicated, decorated, reshaped, whatever, and the copyright is probably on the slip-casting mold, rather than the finished product. I don't believe the ceramic shop sends a royalty check to the designer of the mold in order to cast from it. I think that criteria was settled long before. My local ceramic shop closed it's doors and took my original plaster molds (that I had made for my own purposes and paid them to pour for me). Now, if they tried to sell those molds or sell the pourings, that would be illegal since they are still my property. However, it's probably a moot point now. Again, I think the copyright issue on commercial castings is irrelevant in this case. - Barbara

[Colin & Helen]

Hello Gale.

I would check with someone like ' Duncan Ceramics' as they sell in hobby ceramic green ware and glaze shops ,they could have the in's-n-out's of copyright for slip cast caramic products .

[Leslie Ihde]

I would think that people selling greeware are selling rather basic shapes and expect to mass produce them for the public's pleasure. However, as a potter to whom form is the primary interest, if a glassie used one of my developed pieces as a mold from which to produce glass to sell, I would be very upset and would do what I could to stop it. Form is art, too.
Leslie
potter and glass artist