DAMAGES FOR ARTIST

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 982, 27 May 1930, Page 16

DAMAGES FOR ARTIST

ACTION OVER POSTER DESIGNS

DETAINED BY COMPANY Judgment for £6O was given for Jocelyn Brown (Mr. Goulding), a commercial artist, by Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., yesterday afternoon. Plaintiff sought the return of 45. poster designs sho had done, and damages for their detention. The defendant was the Specialty Advertising Co., Ltd. (Mr. Grant). Recalling the facts, the magistrate said plaintiff had entered an agreement with an advertising agent to supply poster and art designs required by him in respect of an advertising contract he held. This agent assigned his interests in the contract and the plaintiff’s posters to a company called the Grosvenor Art and Publicity Company, which later went into liquidation. Defendant last November purchased the advertising contract and all posters and designs held by the company. It was contended that by this purchase defendant acquired the rights to the posters, and that if the plaintiff had any cause of action it was not against defendant. Mr. McKean ordered the return of 23 posters, pointing out that the defendant company had made or renewed contracts for the other 22 designs for which it had received a total of £176 ss. It was not possible to order the return of the 22 posters, but plaintiff was entitled to damages which were fixed at £2 10s a panel. Damages for detention were fixed at £5, making a total of £ 60.