copyright free symbols

[moonman]

Hi Creatives,

I hope I'm in the right place for this thread.

Does anyone know if symbols are copyright free????

I know that most symbols are old but I don't know if they can be used.
For e.g the symbols of the chakra's, hebrew, and Egyptian.

Who do I ask? The Patent office??? I guess I would have to pay them to do a search.

Any help would be very useful
Thanks in advance!!!!

Seb

 

[HudsonGray]

I think if a symbol isn't being used as a trademark, it's copyright free. BUT some symbols represent particular things (the star of David for instance) so you have to allow for other interpretations in the context you might want to use them.

Art is copyrighted, I think symbols fall more under trademarks. Try doing some www.google.com searches on 'copyright free symbols' and 'trademark symbols'.

Also, ANYTHING in the Dover publications is in the free & clear, that's all they publish is stuff that's in the public domain. Ancient symbols (like Egyptian Ankh's & heiroglyphics) are in public domain, they're a language, not art or a creation of a particular person or business. Most copyrighted or trademarked stuff would be things developed in the last 120 years. Most things prior to that would be public domain.

 

[rota]

I notice those smilie faces above this text box aren't copyrighted...

I'd really like to know what the limits to trademarked symbols are. If I make up some squiggle that represents my business, I think I can claim copyright/trademark/service mark on that if it's not the same as someone else's squiggle. But if I put a Star of David on a product label, is that a problem? It's a religious symbol, it's a national symbol, it's a philosophical symbol, but I can still do it, the same as if I put a 'patriotic' American flag on a chili sauce label.
Some symbols are public domain. The RWS card designs are copyright-free; the round-headed pedestrian on a road-crossing sign is copyright-free. The letters 'CNN' are copyright-free, but the 'CNN' logo is definitely a copyrighted trademark...

(good heavens!
wouldn't it be awful if some idiot decided to trademark, say, all the astrological symbols, or all the alchemical symbols? what a nightmare! that can't be done, can it? any more than it's possible to trademark the letter 'e', and ask for a nickel every time someone wants to use it...?)

 

[Page]

Also, ANYTHING in the Dover publications is in the free & clear, that's all they publish is stuff that's in the public domain. Ancient symbols (like Egyptian Ankh's & heiroglyphics) are in public domain, they're a language, not art or a creation of a particular person or business. Most copyrighted or trademarked stuff would be things developed in the last 120 years. Most things prior to that would be public domain. [/B]

I used to go to the Dover book shop in London and NOT everything is copyright free, most of the books are but they should have a liitle notice in the catalogue saying if it is or isn't. I spoke th them this morning.
Ask them to send you a catalogue or go to the website.

http://www.thedoverbookshop.com/pages/index.html

But as HudsonGray mentioned most symbols are in the public domain.

maud

 

[HudsonGray]

Ok, check the Dover books on what's free & clear & what's not. They're known for having stuff you can use in art & collage that's not going to come back & bite you, it's one of their trademark features (no pun intended). Maybe not all of their stuff is free & clear, but a good portion of it is (I forgot about those paper dolls they do, for instance).

They have a web site too, there should be something on there.

 

[moonman]

I've lost the plot

Thanks for the info everyone!

I have heard of Dover books but supidly I didn't think to go to the site.
I will also have a look out for the paper dolls.

I just found out theat a friend of mine just got a job at the patent office. So I will have some more info.

My friend was told me ...instead of sending myself artwork, text etc. recorded deliverly in the post anyone can send it to their local INPI=institue of national property for something like £5. It just means that they keep the work for you.

Thanks ALL for your time and thanks Maud for clearing things up.

Seb