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MattCrunk
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 Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 1:46 pm Post subject: LOVES is ripping off my artwork!! |
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I have sold my flash commercially since 1999. This particular set was published in 2000, and has been sold through Liquid Skin since 2001.
OK, last Sunday my wife and I were traveling out of state and stopped at a Loves truck stop/convenience store for gas and roadfood. While checking out we noticed this display of lighters for sale at the counter (right beside the Ed Hardy brand lighters) with MY copyrighted tattoo designs on them!
I've already met with attorneys and a lawsuit is in motion. But I could really use some investigative help here: Loves has a total of 227 stores in over 30 states. What I really need to know is how many locations these lighters are being sold in. If you have a Loves located near you, and can check it out for me, that would help me out a lot.
Below is my original flash.
And here are the lighters in question: my designs are on the right. (By the way if you can identify the artists of the other designs, that might help too, as I'm sure they were ripped off as well)
And the display inside the store:
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SharpTattoos
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:08 pm Post subject: |
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Mother Fucker! That's just wrong! Hope you run 'em into the ground.  Nothing I hate more than art thieves.
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FORK
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:14 pm Post subject: |
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| damn, pieces of shit! the loves people, not your artwork! that is just fucking low, there is no excuse for that. Let us know how the lawsuit's going cuz those mutherfuckers deserve some serious ass kicking! i wish i had a loves close, but i don't, but i'll tell friends. |
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calilopez
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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is it loves thats making them or did they just buy from clippers lighter co? sue both
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calilopez
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:18 pm Post subject: |
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if i get one and send it to you, will you sign it?
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MattCrunk
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 2:31 pm Post subject: |
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Flamagas, S.A., the company that makes Clipper brand lighters, sells them as blanks for imprinting, so I don't know who actually printed them. One of the first steps in the process is finding that out. If these lighters are only being found in Loves stores, then it's my guess that Loves themselves had them printed to compete with the Ed Hardy lighters that sell for considerably more.
If anyone reading this happens to work for a Loves, or knows anyone who does, please contact me.
And yeah, I guess I'd sign one if someone wanted me to. All this would be kinda flattering if they'd just gotten my permission first (and written me a nice fat check).
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reefdiver
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phantommenace
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 4:10 pm Post subject: |
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that sucks bro ,.. i hope you get them !!.. i'v never heard of them , don't think have any here in canada ,.. don't forget about us when you get that FAT settlement !!!!! 
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sadie703
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 4:59 pm Post subject: |
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| i bought one of those ed hardy ones ( i liked the roses on it lol), i havent seen the clipper ones around here tho, ill keep an eye out tho |
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super_sam
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 5:49 pm Post subject: |
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| I got a Loves Truckstop about 10 miles from where I live matt. You want me to buy some, or just find out if they're selling them?? |
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Freddie
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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Matt, a bootleg flash selling asshole stopped into our shop about 2 months ago (seems to happen every six months or so...) and one of the sets he was trying to sell was that very set! Sorry to hear about you getting ripped off, hate to see it happen to anybody, let alone one of the good guys
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Freddie
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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As to the other artists involved....
The panther/dagger/rose and the large dagger/rose are Eric Iovino designs from one of his Bullseye sets
The Man's Ruin is the late Eric Maske
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EvilJay
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 6:29 pm Post subject: |
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Hope you make some jack off it... Nice work by the way..
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deathandoreos
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| Posted: Wed Aug 05, 2009 7:48 pm Post subject: |
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id force loves to tell me who they bought them off of and go from there, if they dont help then they are a target as well... no one knows what a copyright is anymore!!! assholes.
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dan_T_jones
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| Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 1:10 am Post subject: |
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| Legally what is flash? When you sell it do you have like a list of what it can and can not be used for? Because if loves bought the flash legally then they may be within their rights to reprint it on their lighters. They should still give you an artistic credit for it though. |
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