As I said, I'm not convinced of that, Don. The fancy script "
New Britain" line is clearly distinct from the blocky "NONE BETTER" line of the same era (late 1930's and 40's). And there is no doubt about earlier (late 1920's, early 1930's) "NONE BETTER" tools. But AA’s TM research is incomplete and not nearly detailed enough, and their terminology is inaccurate. For example, there are actually two different "NB" trademarks: one where the letters are in the shape of a circle, and another where the letters are in the shape of a circle, surrounded by a circle, including the words "New Britain" and the words "NONE BETTER." AA doesn't even distinguish them.
But rather than take my word for it, here is a chronological review of the pertinent New Britain Machine Company trademark history.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
They filed an application to trademark the letters “NB”,
in the shape of a circle, inside a circle, with the words “New Britain” above it, and the words “NONE BETTER” below it, on December 17, 1919. First use July 1919. It was registered (#133,171) on July 13, 1920. (AA doesn't include this TM in their TM table.) Link to TSDR page with certificate
here.
They filed an application to trademark the letters “NB”
in the shape of a circle, with
no circle around it, and no other words above or below it, on May 8, 1920. This application makes no mention of the term “NONE BETTER.” First use April 1920. It was registered (#137,346) on November 23, 1920. (AA doesn't include this TM in their TM table.) Link
here.
They filed an application to trademark the words “New Britain”, “NONE BETTER”, and “Socket Wrench Set” along with a drawing depicting a socket wrench set, on October 9, 1923. First use September 1923. It was registered (#185,962) on July 1, 1924. (AA does not include this TM in their TM table.) Link
here.
They filed an application to trademark the letters “NB”
in the shape of a circle, with no other words above or below it (looking identical to their July 2, 1920 TM# 137,346), on July 2, 1924. Notice that this was the day after the prior trademark was awarded. Also, note that this application makes no mention of the term “NONE BETTER.” Unlike TM#137,346, it lists all the machines they built (i.e., “screw, mortising, chucking,” etc), as well as “wrenches, and sockets sets”. I am guessing this list of goods is what prompted the new application. First use a vague 1919. It was registered (#195,032) on February 17, 1925. (For some reason, this is the only TM that AA includes in their TM table.) Link
here.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When you strip away all the TM app and registration dates, and just look at their first use claims, they were using the solitary or stand-alone circular “NB” logo
and the circular NB logo inside a circle with the words “New Britain” and “NONE BETTER” since 1919. But there is no indication in any of the applications that the “NB” – solitary, or inside the circle accompanied by New Britain and NONE BETTER – stood
exclusively for New Britain or NONE BETTER.
I just can't find anything in the TM record to back up AA's conclusion that the “NB” in the logo stands exclusively for NONE BETTER. In fact, since NONE BETTER is already a play on New Britain, the suggestion is that it stands for both.
EDIT: To put a fine point on it... Even if there was a decal on the lid of the set I just found with the expanded Circle-NB logo, including "New Britain" and "NONE BETTER", I would have a hard time reading the Circle-NB logos on the sockets as exclusively NONE BETTER. I still think it's meant to be bigger than brand, the USPTO TM data backs that up, and I haven't seen anything that disputes it.
). It's an olive drab green, much closer to gray, with more blue than yellow. And it's a crinkle finish.
