Brandir International, Inc. v. Cascade Pacific Lumber Co.
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
834 F.2d 1142 (2d Cir. 1987)
Relevant factsFree
Brandir (plaintiff) adapted an original wire sculpture into the "Ribbon Rack," a bike rack made of looped bent tubing, modifying its dimensions specifically to improve its function as a place to park bikes. The Copyright Office denied copyright protection, and after Cascade (defendant) sold a similar rack, Brandir sued for infringement; the district court granted Cascade summary judgment, and Brandir appealed.
IssueFree
Whether a useful article's design is copyrightable when its aesthetic considerations are not conceptually separable from its functional considerations.
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