Newsletters
A silver ring maker based in Türkiye's Gaziantep is facing legal action from U.S.-based Middle-Earth Enterprises LLC, which owns the global rights to "The Lord of the Rings" franchise, over his alleged unauthorized use and trademark registration of the name—"Yuzuklerin Efendisi," the Turkish title of "The Lord of the Rings"—for commercial purposes.
The company alleges that Turkish jeweler Mehmet Cakmak’s use of the title, which he registered with the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office in 2019 and later received approval from the U.S. International Trade Commission for commercial use in 35 categories, infringes on its intellectual property.
Despite Cakmak’s longstanding commercial activity under the name in Türkiye, the California-based firm contends that he registered the brand name without consent and profited from it.
The complaint, filed in the Istanbul Intellectual and Industrial Rights Civil Court, seeks the invalidation of the trademark and its removal from official records, local media reported.
Speaking to Ihlas News Agency, Cakmak has rejected the claims and responded by filing a defense with documentation showing his business history and trademark registration, emphasizing that his firm’s use of the name is confined to handcrafted jewelry and is unrelated to cinematic or digital media ventures.
"The Lord of the Rings is indeed a movie brand in the United States, but we obtained the patent and continue our services as a limited company within our own country and sector," he said in a statement.
The jeweler claims he has faced pressure since 2022, when Middle-Earth Enterprises sent a formal cease-and-desist notice demanding he withdraw trademark applications and cease all commercial use. Cakmak continued operating under the brand, prompting the company to escalate the matter legally.
As part of interim measures, the court has restricted access to Cakmak’s online and social media accounts using the trademark.
The jeweler has submitted documentation and activity reports from the Turkish Patent Office to contest the injunction, maintaining that the registered brand was not intended to exploit the film’s popularity but was tied to his business identity.
"We are not making a film—we are making rings," Cakmak defended himself, as he sought to differentiate his handcrafted silver jewelry business from the globally recognized cinematic franchise.
He said an international legal process had begun between his company and the United States and expressed confidence that they would prevail, describing his five-year-old limited company as one of Gaziantep’s largest silver jewelry operations. "The Lord of the Rings belongs to Gaziantep, and it will stay that way."
"The Lord of the Rings" is a globally recognized fantasy franchise based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s novels, known for its film adaptations, merchandise, and cultural impact.
1 min read
1 min read
