Here we go again! Raggedy Ann and Andy and the Mickey Mouse
Here we go again indeed! I woke this morning to about fifteen emails directed towards my lack of knowledge and my ineptness towards certain topics (Raggedy Ann/Andy and Mickey Mouse) on my blogpage. Reading the first few emails had my eyebrows raised but when email upon email was directed towards me personally, I had to start figuring what was going on!! Cup of tea really helped, LOL and then I read the “aha” email from a dear friend who sent me links to various boards. Well, dear friends, I’m not exactly laughing out loud rolling on the floor but rather I’m saddened by the immaturity of many friends who think it wise to blast someone without knowledge of the person or of the topic involved. I think it was not too long ago that I wrote something to the effect that kindness has its rewards and if we cannot say something nice perhaps best not to say anything at all. Oh well….we are humans after all!
I would like to clarify one thing about this blog page please. This is my blog and I can write what I want but (and please note the but is underlined….bold etc) at no time do I ever post anything which is not true. All my writings here regarding various topics are carefully researched, carefully talked with several officials knowing the topic before I even pen it. No one has to believe anything however, that is their right.
Raggedy Ann and Andy are trademarked, copyrighted images etc. When I had questioned this I had been led to several websites including Simon and Schuster….oh yes, the famous Simonsays website dealing with any of the children’s books etc and their legalities etc. http://www.simonsays.com/content/feature.cfm?sid=686&feature_id=461 The link I believe says it all!
As far as dear Mickey Mouse is concerned….the darling figure is the logo for Disney and from what I understand now the copyright on him has been extended so no he will not be in public domain for quite a long while, at least not in my lifetime.
Raggedy Ann Stories (c 1918) and Raggedy Andy Stories (c 1920) are in the public domain. See (as one example): http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/18190 and http://www.gutenberg.org/etext/17371 “Not copyrighted in the United States.”
I would be interested to know what your “simonsays” link said; however, it is no longer a valid link (I realize I am responding to an old post). Simon & Schuster, Hasbro, Macmillan, and other companies own trademarks to certain Raggedy Ann items but not to the original books or illustrations therein. That is why you are seeing an increasing number of Raggedy Ann prints, imprinted mugs, and other such items created with illustrations from the original books on e-bay, Etsy, etc.
Julie, you are absolutely correct. The post is three years old and I was not able to bring up the website link. However, from what I understand, only books prior to 1950 are in the public domain. Any books after 1950 and their illustrations are still copyright. It’s a muddied area and not one to mess with, in my opinion. Hugs, Sadia