grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 I was just browsing dollhouses on Ebay and found a beach house kit that looks amazingly like the beach house I built 6 years ago, especially with the up tilting shutter on the window. Mine's the one with the ocean in the background. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Looks mighty suspicious to me, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadyGunn Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Holy cow! That couldn't be a closer copy! My in-laws do craft shows and there are often people there who just take pictures of the pieces. They shoo the jerks out but 6 months later or so, very similar pieces start showing up in stores. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 Did you have kits of it that they copied, or do you think they just saw it and used it for "inspiration"? Theirs has two windows and other minor differences, but it sure looks like they used your color scheme and general beach idea. Didn't a factory copy Robin Betterley's 1/4 scale trailer into 1/2 scale - I assume from enlarging a kit they somehow got? They even copied the interior cabinets and papers. It gets sold for $45 now. It happens at the doll factories, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mid-life madness Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 When the Chinese finally come up with their own ideas, that's when we really will be in trouble. Unfortunately/fortunately, their society does NOT lend itself to creativity...IMO. Your version is much more realistic and I prefer it. How would you even go about proving that they used your idea? Would you have to hire a copyright attorney? So discouraging. I've toyed with buying one of the various kits on eBay, but now, I never will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sable Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 If it makes you feel any better, I copied one of their DIY houses. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debsrand56 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 It does seem awfully close for comfort. They've tried to add their own elements, but. . . . I do like the original much, much better. The copy is kind of chunky and clunky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 The copy looks like a toy, Grazhe's looks real. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonc60 Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 54 minutes ago, havanaholly said: The copy looks like a toy, Grazhe's looks real. Exactly. But if you are going to put your stuff out there, be it photos online or selling kits, I think you have to accept the risk. And imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery. The ball jointed doll makers who have their dolls copied say that the copies are taking away their business, but if you can't afford the originals, then you're not going to buy them. I don't think you'll ever stop it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 What really annoys me is that I was thinking of listing my beach house for sale, but now, how can I? Everyone will think I bought the Chinese kit, made my own furniture and listed the completed kit. BTW Just now I saw people were selling the kit for anywhere from $24 to $100. Jenn, my house has one window in the front because of the way I furnished it. Mine has a lot of built-ins which left no room for 2 windows in front. I have to say, my interior is definitely cooler looking than theirs. This is not the first time I've had issues with the Chinese. Back when I owned New England Miniatures they hijacked a bunch of my photos and product descriptions and used them on a Chinese based miniatures shopping site. I sent them and Google a letter, and the pictures & descriptions were pulled from the site. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriAnn Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 7 minutes ago, shannonc60 said: And imitation is the most sincerest form of flattery. This is only the case when everyone knows that you did it first and that the copy cats are the copiers. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 When the Chinese copied Pitt Ginsberg's Bespaq pieces and were selling them on the cheap he spent a fortune trying to get them for copyright infringement. 15 minutes ago, grazhina said: What really annoys me is that I was thinking of listing my beach house for sale, but now, how can I? Everyone will think I bought the Chinese kit, made my own furniture and listed the completed kit.... I don't see how anyone really looking to compare the two could possibly think Grazhe's beach cottage was made from that Chinese version. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TerriAnn Posted June 28, 2017 Share Posted June 28, 2017 8 minutes ago, havanaholly said: I don't see how anyone really looking to compare the two could possibly think Grazhe's beach cottage was made from that Chinese version. I don't want to rock the boat but this is coming from a miniature crazy loving person and not an expert... To the untrained eye or people who are not aware about copying in the Miniature world, I definitely see how they might think Grazhe's built his house from their kit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grazhina Posted June 28, 2017 Author Share Posted June 28, 2017 1 minute ago, TerriAnn said: To the untrained eye or people who are not aware about copying in the Miniature world, I definitely see how they might think Grazhe's built his house from their kit. My point exactly! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodentraiser Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Even in the US I see copies of Greenleaf houses and I wonder how they can do that. I think all they have to do is change one or two details and it's considered their own. For instance, I saw this today: It's just basically the Houseworks front-opening Victorian with an addition and a tower. And don't forget House That Jack Built made almost the exact same house too, only a little larger. I think dollhouses have to work like that because otherwise only one company would be able to sell a Colonial dollhouse. Look at all the Colonial dollhouses out there and the only differences are in the windows. Grazhina, you could still list your house for sale. Just simply tell people not to be fooled by cheap Chinese kits, that you made yours first and have the photos to prove it. Is your beach cottage 1" scale? Because I think the Chinese kits are all closer to half scale. You can also tell people that yours isn't a kit, it's hand made and nothing in it has to be put together. You also sign your houses, don't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsbeth Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 5 minutes ago, rodentraiser said: Even in the US I see copies of Greenleaf houses and I wonder how they can do that. I think all they have to do is change one or two details and it's considered their own. For instance, I saw this today: It's just basically the Houseworks front-opening Victorian with an addition and a tower. And don't forget House That Jack Built made almost the exact same house too, only a little larger. I think dollhouses have to work like that because otherwise only one company would be able to sell a Colonial dollhouse. Look at all the Colonial dollhouses out there and the only differences are in the windows. Grazhina, you could still list your house for sale. Just simply tell people not to be fooled by cheap Chinese kits, that you made yours first and have the photos to prove it. Is your beach cottage 1" scale? Because I think the Chinese kits are all closer to half scale. You can also tell people that yours isn't a kit, it's hand made and nothing in it has to be put together. You also sign your houses, don't you? Yes -- the chinese kits are almost always 1:24! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MLI Designs Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 Yours is sooooo much nicer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Summersethomes Posted June 29, 2017 Share Posted June 29, 2017 i agree yours is better Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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