Maxwell Crest Ring

[jmaxwell522]

Hi all, I've been playing with some software and made up a few Maxwell Crest rings all are set to size 10:
http://www.shapeways.com/model/95448...h&materialId=6
http://www.shapeways.com/model/95439...h&materialId=6
http://www.shapeways.com/model/95446...h&materialId=6
Now I have no stake in these rings, there is a free software that allows you to put a b&w image on the face of a basic ring.
The software company owns the ring design and profits from its sales, not by much maybe 30% of the cost. But the materials available allow for metal rings to be made.
I plan on getting a copy of the first one in plastic to see how it turns out then probably a stainless version in bronze finish if its nice. I've used the service to print a few other rings and stuff in stainless and silver and they turn out great.
I made others but wasn't a fan of the way they turned out.
Here is the free online software to play with your own:
http://www.archipelis.com/Services/Ring2Creator/
Post if you order before I do. I'd love to see these if they work for you.
Enjoy!

[mattie]

What a neat idea! I also would like a Maxwell signate ring because my GG grandmother was a Maxwell and my kilt is muted Maxwell from the House of Edgar. I also have a Maxwell plaque with the same inscription. I need to get my wife involved maybe a Christmas present? best regards Mattie

[Steve Ashton]

A small word of caution,

The design for the Clan Crest used by this program is not their work. This Belt and Buckle design was done by Romily Squire who is also the artist to The Lord Lyon and The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. This Belt and Buckle design is owned and copyright by Gaelic Themes.

Use of this belt and buckle design without the permission of the copyright owner could result in a problem.

I know that you see this particular belt and buckle design a lot on the web but that does not make it right. Gaelic Themes has pursued legal action in the past against others who have used their design without permission.

[TheOfficialBren]

Are their products made with a 3-D printer?

Those things are amazing! They are creeping toward Star Trek replicators!

[piperdbh]

I don't think a 3-d printer will print with metal, will it? That would take either a dissolved metal, or else a melted metal, neither of which would be cheap enough to make a profit on.

[TheOfficialBren]

Dbh, I agree. Metal, not so much...plastics and other synthetics, however...very much so.

I geeked out on 3-D printer videos on YouTube for about 20 minutes just now. Blows my kind every time. These things are truly revolutionary.

[Harold Cannon]

So how do they actually make the rings in metal and how much do they cost?

I also believe that the Crest is the legal property of the clan chief and even though Romilly (a member of my clan) did the work, I believe all that would be needed would be the go ahead of the chief to make this happen. Law makes it is his crest and what he deams to be done with it will surely take chief position on the matter. (pun intended) Gaelic Themes would also have to have the permission of the chief, which I am sure it does. No matter what design it is still the crest of the chief.

[Steve Ashton]

Harold,

You are correct that the crest is the property of the Chief. But we are talking about the artwork. Specifically the way the Chiefs crest is drawn and the belt and buckle surrounding the crest that denotes Clansman. That artwork was done by Romilly and is owned by Gaelic Themes.

It is the art work that can be protected under copyright to the artist and the artwork copyright holder. The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs commissioned Romilly Squire to render the Clan Crest series that they use. The way the Chiefs crests are rendered is artistic and the Chiefs approve but do not own the artwork.

There are many ways to draw a boars head or a sword. There are many belt and buckle designs out there. All I am reminding everyone is that this particular designed is owned by someone. It should not be used without permission.

Permission is usually easily obtained. For example I asked for, and received permission, to use this particular design when I designed the X Marks Crest Cap Badge. All it took was a courtesy email asking for permission.

[jmaxwell522]

To be honest I reworked the crest from several images found on the internet essentially to get the lines to look nice on the surface I redrew the images that looked best. They were mostly B&W gif files and such. I never thought much of ownership of a family heraldry, something to keep in mind. Thank you for the information.
As far as the printing of metal goes, I have modeled another ring and had it printed in stainless here is a photo of how it turned out in three scales, there are print lines in the product but still looks great in my eyes.:

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Harold,

You are correct that the crest is the property of the Chief. But we are talking about the artwork. Specifically the way the Chiefs crest is drawn and the belt and buckle surrounding the crest that denotes Clansman. That artwork was done by Romilly and is owned by Gaelic Themes.

It is the art work that can be protected under copyright to the artist and the artwork copyright holder. The Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs commissioned Romilly Squire to render the Clan Crest series that they use. The way the Chiefs crests are rendered is artistic and the Chiefs approve but do not own the artwork.

There are many ways to draw a boars head or a sword. There are many belt and buckle designs out there. All I am reminding everyone is that this particular designed is owned by someone. It should not be used without permission.

Permission is usually easily obtained. For example I asked for, and received permission, to use this particular design when I designed the X Marks Crest Cap Badge. All it took was a courtesy email asking for permission.

Steve is, as usual, right. The artwork under discussion was created by Romilly Squire (now of Rubislaw) for The Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia which he co-authored with George Way of Plean. Later Gaelic Themes was authorized by the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs to manufacture "clan badges" using the crests of the member chiefs. Given the authority to manufacture the badges, Gaelic Themes then licensed the designs created by Romilly Squire for their line of clan badges and other products. Squire is paid a royalty on each and every use of his licensed artwork.

The bottom line is this: the use of any artist's designs, without his permission, is theft. If one likes an artist's designs enough to invest in having something made, they should be willing to at least offer to pay for them, rather than rip him off and hope to get away with it.