UNAUTHORIZED PRINTS OR "BOOTLEGS"
Imitation is not always the sincerest form of flattery...
Not wanting to put a damper on Leo's tremendous contribution to Jazz and the enthusiasm and respect he has received from his collectors, then and now; we, his family, had witnessed his profound disappointment with dealers and distributors who took advantage of his talent and trust. It continues with bootleg versions and a blatant disregard for the law protecting Leo's art. It is art theft, plain and simple. We are kept informed by our IP lawyers and have been advised to place public notices on all our websites to not only protect Leo's art, but to protect you from flim-flam sellers. And, yes, we are following closely all copyright infringements and will act upon them, in our own choosing. Below is one example:
UNAUTHORIZED PRINT
All authorized Leo Meiersdorff art in the form of prints and posters published after his passing in 1994 has an embossed seal by the Leo Meiersdorff Estate and a Meiersdorff copyright notice. It has come to our attention that a variety of older prints and posters are offered as "NEW" single prints in Louisiana and by a trader in Georgia, offered via eBay and distributed by other businesses. It troubles us to inform the public that these are unauthorized prints, e.g. "bootlegs", many with false claims of copyright, violating the laws protecting Leo's art. We are concerned for Leo's many admirers and collectors, for the sake of future valuation of his art. Additionally, there are no authorized galleries or businesses in New Orleans that deal with Leo's art prints and posters since his passing in 1994.
The image on the left is an unauthorized and intentionally altered version of one of Leo's copyrighted works. The size varies, from roughly 10 x 12 1/2 inches to 19 1/2 x 27 inches. You can distinguish the altered version from the original edition by the different font on the bottom as well as the slightly altered letter "J", as well as smaller sizing. The image on the right is the authorized version with a federally registered copyright owned by Meiersdorff Enterprises. From your many requests, the Estate has now published the original full-sized 22 x 36 inch edition of "Cooking with Jazz™" with an embossed seal from the Estate, and is available only through www.meiersdorffenterprises.com Look for SHOP 'Jazz Posters'
A Message for Leo's Admirers and Collectors: