Internet & Aviation Art

joegertler · 22 November 2003, 11:46 AM

I was somewhat alarmed to see a seller on Ebay offering giclee prints of Charles Hubbell aviation art. Since virtually none of these Hubbell works could have been created before 1939, and likely, decades.later, and Hubbell died in 1970, I asked the seller how he could do this when the copyrights still have quite a few years to run. Have not received an answer. I have signed legal documents transferring the copyrights of the original Hubbell's that I own. This is one of those troubling trends on the Internet. Be careful of posting original works.

joegertler · 22 November 2003, 05:03 PM

The seller responds that he got these giclee prints at an auction.
The many Hubbell lithograph and calendar sets were mass printings by Thompson/TRW Co. and a great many original prints survive today. But giclee (sprayed paint) Hubbell copies are unknown to me and giclee prints of various art and artists work (printed a few at a time as orders come in) are becoming more widespread on the modern Internet. They may have been some approved museum or company sponsored limited production promotion. Anybody know of such a run of giclee Hubbell copies?

Russell Smith · 23 November 2003, 08:23 PM

Can't comment much on the Hubbell prints, Joe – just that the giclee process was only developed and perfected in the last 5 years or so. The publisher of these prints perhaps either (1) owns the expressed rights, (2) is uneducated on the subject and thinks that just because they own the original they also own the rights, or (3) doesn't give a flip about copyright issues and is trying to make a buck by selling illegal reproductions. Unfortunately problems 2 and 3 have been around long before the internet. More often than not it stems from a simple lack of knowledge on the offender's part. However there are a ridiculous number of so called "art vendors" out there just waiting to prey on the unsuspecting artist and buyer. As for myself, I copyright all of my work and make sure that any work of mine that could potentially be re-used has my name and copyright all over it. I know that Kieth Ferris has had a problem with people using his images illegally in the past and that he prosecutes to the fullest extent (as he should!).

Woe-be-it to the person I come across one day who is trespassing on my copyrights!

Russ

P.S. I would ask the seller if he can provide a certifiacte of authenticity.