I just got an e-mail from Dick Koornwinder, who informs me that unauthorized copies of Tommy Wonder's Ring Watch and Wallet have been sold recently on eBay. Tommy has not authorized anyone in the US to make any of his apparatus. The family is negotiating with someone in Europe to make these things.

To the person who sold these -- shame on you. You should have known better.


Lest anyone be concerned about what business of mine this is -- I have been asked by Frank Bemelman and Dick Koornwinder to look after this kind of thing in the US.


The offending item has been pulled from the auction.


Posted: Jul 3, 2008 2:08pm
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Lest anyone be concerned about what business of mine this is -- I have been asked by Frank Bemelman and Dick Koornwinder to look after this kind of thing in the US.


Posted: Jul 3, 2008 5:11pm
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The offending item has been pulled from the auction.

Great work Bill.

Here's the situation. The fellow who had this item listed had made it for his own use. Then he decided to sell it. He didn't realize that he had crossed the line when he tried to sell the item he had made for his own use.

When a book, such as the Tommy Wonder books, or a magazine, such as the Linking Ring, gives us permission to make an item for our own use, while reserving manufacturing rights to the author (or in the case of TW, his estate) this means we can make the item (or have one made for us), we can use the item, but we can't sell it.

The fellow who was selling this removed it voluntarily.

Bill,

Excellent work for sure. However, at the risk of getting flamed, I think there is a lesson to be learned here. You stated in your post "Shame on you. You should have known better." This assumes mal intent and that the ebayer had no ethics, when in fact it turned out to be an honest mistake.

The lesson to be taken from this is "assume good intent." I've tried to adopt that attitude, and when I pull it off successfully, it serves me well.

Again, not harm intended, just offering some friendly advice.

Thanks for understanding.