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Old 22nd May 2019, 9:40 pm   #1
martin.m
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Default Dansette brand name in 2019

According to Wikipedia, Dansette went into liquidation in 1969. What officially happened to the brand name? Looking on the Internet, I see that Crosley market a "Dansette range" of record players while there is a company using the brand name based in Northern England who specialise in restoration and sales of original Dansette record players. Does any one organisation have the right to use this name or is it a free for all?

I hope this post does not contravene any forum rules. If so I apologise and mods please delete.
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Old 22nd May 2019, 9:58 pm   #2
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

Some reading
https://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/tm/t-os...lts/o07716.pdf


https://trademarks.justia.com/858/74...-85874472.html
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Old 22nd May 2019, 10:09 pm   #3
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

A brand name belongs to whoever registers it, they can keep it, sell it on or licence it. But it lapses if it is not defended. If other firms use the name without permission and are not prevented, eventually the name is considered to have become too general for official protection. Joe public calls anything which sucks their floor a 'hoover' but the hoover company will take legal measures against anyone by reason of trade using their name on any vacuum cleaner not made by them. So the word has lapsed into general useage amongst the public, but it is still protected. No other manufacturer or vendor can use it.

An interesting case of trade marks, branding and registered designs happened fairly recently. It involved products not normally mentioned in this group, but the principles apply to any product and the shenanigans were illuminating if not funny.

Rolls-Royce (motor cars, not jet engines) wanted a better engine and approached BMW. BMW got to look at Rolls Royce's books to verify that Rolls could pay, and found them ripe for take-over. They made an offer. Volkswagen got wind of this and made a better offer. Everyone expected BMW to counter bid. They didn't. VW had just bought Rolls-Royce Motors. However, after the deal had gone through, they found they'd bought the factory producing the cars... but then they found out what they hadn't bought.... The rights to the Rolls Royce name, the registered designs of the flying lady and the radiator grille. They DID get the rights to Bentley. It turned out that the car company was only a licencee of the name etc. Rolls Royce (1971) limited hold those rights. Meanwhile BMW had approached Rolls-Royce (1971) ltd and taken out a licence to the ROlls Royce name for motor cars, the flying lady etc.

So VW have the old R-R car factory turning out cars under the Bentley name. BMW have a shiny new factory turning out cars with the Rolls Royce name and the silvery lass on the front.

You couldn't make it up!

You'd have thought companies the size of these and so successful wouldn't be so dumb.

It could have happened to any sort of product, but the amounts of money involved and the fame of the names make it somewhat special.

We live in an era when brand names are traded around like footballer cards in a school playground. Even the most famous brands on Earth. Essentially it devalues the brands to being worthless. I'd argue that the famous radio brands now seen on tat are totally worthless.... it's just that joe public hasn't noticed yet.

I mourn what Goodmans and Wharefedale once were. I worked for R-R(1971) a long time ago.

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Old 23rd May 2019, 4:41 pm   #4
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

Makes interesting reading, particularly the links that Frank provided.
What I’m not clear on is both DANSETTE and Dansette used by two different companies?
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Old 24th May 2019, 12:44 am   #5
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

Thank you for those links Frank. I am surprised that no one registered the Dansette trade mark well before March 2013, or that the original company didn't sell the name to a foreign manufacturer when it folded in 1969.
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Old 3rd Jun 2019, 11:53 am   #6
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

I think Dansette was swallowed up by the Rank Organisation. My first stereo record player, circa 1975/1976, was a Dansette which clearly showed on its back plate that it was built in the UK by Rank Radio International.
I have got the service manual somewhere which backs this up. I am not sure what happened to to Dansette post RRI.
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Old 3rd Jun 2019, 12:14 pm   #7
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

Another Danette, the label on the speaker grill “Dansette”.
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Old 3rd Jun 2019, 12:24 pm   #8
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hybrid tellies View Post
I think Dansette was swallowed up by the Rank Organisation. My first stereo record player, circa 1975/1976, was a Dansette which clearly showed on its back plate that it was built in the UK by Rank Radio International.
I have got the service manual somewhere which backs this up. I am not sure what happened to to Dansette post RRI.
The Dansette brand was originally used by J & A Margolin Ltd, “Plus-a-Gram House, 112-116 Old Street, London, EC1 (in 1935 & 52).

Maker of “Dansette”, “Broadcaster” and “Plus-a-Gram” record players and “Broadcaster” stylus and sapphire needles.
The firm was in business in 1935, offering their “”Plus-a-Gram” gramophone conversion for radio sets with enough room.

In 1961, the company name was changed to Dansette Products Ltd – when it became a public company.

In 1964, the company moved to a new factory at Dansette House, Honeypot Lane, Stanmore, Middx.

In 1966, Dansette Products Ltd took over the assets of Perdio Electronics Ltd (which went into voluntary liquidation in 1966).

By 1966, the Managing Director of Dansette was Mr Louis Margolin. Dansette Products Ltd, Plus-a-Gram House, 112-116 Old Street, London, EC1. Still there in 1969.

Circa 1970, brand acquired by Rank Organisation. I don't think Rank used the brand for long though.
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Old 3rd Jun 2019, 1:58 pm   #9
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Default Re: Dansette brand name in 2019

The company mentioned by Martin in his original post is Dansette Products Ltd, based in Rochdale, Lancs. They refurbish, sell and repair Dansette record players to a high standard and also sell spares such as knobs, motor bushes, turntable mats, hingers and so forth.

My younger son (out of short trousers, aged 51!) bought a restored Dansette Bermuda about three years or so ago from them. (I didn't ask how much it cost - a glance at the website tells me that!). It looked like it was straight out of the factory, brand new. Last year the switch on the volume control failed, so I fitted a new switched pot. While I had the turntable out to gain access, it was clear what a thorough job they'd done, both on the electrics, (new earthed mains lead, cap change etc) the recovering, badges and so on.

No idea whether there's even a tenuous connection with the original company, and I've had no personal dealings with them, but from what I saw of my son's Bermuda, they seem to do a top class job, meeting the needs of a niche market.

https://www.dansette.com/

https://www.dansette.com/shop

https://www.dansette.com/blog/our-story-so-far
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