Border Dispute

Law.com reports that a South Carolina greeting-card maker, International Stamp Art Inc. (ISA), claims that it has trademarked the perforated border around the artwork of U.S. postage stamps -- and that the U.S. Postal Service has violated the company's rights.

At issue are not the stamps themselves, which the Postal Service has copyrighted, but postcards showing pictures of stamps that the company, International Stamp Art Inc., and the Postal Service each sell.

ISA lawyer James J. Wolfson said the Postal Service has and can publish the stamp art without infringing on the trademark. He noted that when the post office created cards of its best-selling stamp, Elvis Presley, it did not print the border around the artwork.

Wolfson said ISA shared card ideas and marketing plans with the post office and then the Postal Service cut off contact.

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