DAN'S PAPERS, September 19, 2008 Page 13
Save Georgica EH May Fight to Copyright Amagansett, Montauk, Springs By Dan Rattiner Two events in the news this past week have shocked the Town of East Hampton to its very core and sent the town board scurrying to minimize the damage. The first was the announcement of the topping off of a giant, all-glass skyscraper on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. It is called “The Georgica,” and it looms over 87th Street in the “vibrant sought-after family neighborhood between First and Second Avenue,” according to the press release announcing its feat. It will be completed in 2009. And 30% of its apartments have been sold. Its name was inspired, according to the press release “by the serene Georgica Pond in East Hampton.” Well, that’s a stretch. Occasionally, perhaps, they will put a swan in the gazing pool and gardens that will adorn the very tiptop of this building. The town board was amazed that anybody could name a big building like this. And then there are the handbags. It is fashion week in Manhattan. Michael Kors is now show-
ing two new lines of leather handbags, one called “The Montauk” and the other called “The Amagansett.” They are, ahem, not cheap. The crushing blow of all of this is that Michael Kors has gone and copyrighted the names “Montauk” and “Amagansett.” Could the master builders of “The Georgica” be far behind? At last week’s town board meeting, Councilwoman Julia Prince was adamant that
She said the most immediate concern should be the name “East Hampton.” Hopefully it’s not already gone. And then there are the other names that could be under attack. Pantigo. Springs. Wainscott. Devon. Someone pointed out that Martha Stewart, who has a home on Lily Pond Lane in East Hampton, has been in litigation with the town of Katonah after she tried to name a line of luggage after it. It’s been going on for five years. Councilwoman Pat Mansir wondered if the town’s plan to create and give out shopping bags was safe. The idea had been put forward by the town’s environmental committee. They would be made of recyclable material that would, eventually, decompose. They would be given free to the townspeople in the hopes they’d use these recyclable bags instead of disposable plastic and paper. They would have the names of different villages on them. If they proceeded, were they just inviting a lawsuit from Michael Kors? The town moved on to other things without making any decision about this. But it occurred to me that though there were coffee and cookies served at this town board meeting, none were Pepperidge Farm “Montauk” cookies, which happen to be one of my favorites. They’ve been
Georgica is a wonderful name; it rolls off your tongue as if filled with romance & beautiful things...
Dan Rattiner is the founder of Dan's Papers. His memoir, In the Hamptons: Fifty Years With Farmers, Fishermen, Artists, Billionaires and Celebrities is currently available wherever books are sold.
the town look into incorporating the names of the remaining hamlets in the town before it is too late. “We should do this to prevent others from gaining exclusive rights,” she said, looking distraught about the loss of Amagansett and Montauk. “I just hope it’s not too late. If anyone should receive revenue from such copyrights, it should be the town.”
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