Chapter 134

134.25(1)(b) (b) Paragraph (a) is not violated if the actual fineness of the gold or alloy in the article meets any of the following conditions:

134.25(1)(b)1. 1. The actual fineness is not less, by more than three one-thousandths parts in the case of flatware and watch cases, than the fineness actually marked on the article.

134.25(1)(b)2. 2. The actual fineness is not less, by more than one-half karat, than the fineness actually marked on the article in the case of all articles not specified in subd. 1.

134.25(2) (2) In any test to determine the fineness of the gold or its alloy in any article, according to the standards set forth in this section, the part of the gold or gold alloy taken for the test shall not contain or have attached to it any solder or alloy of inferior fineness used for brazing or uniting the parts of the article.

134.25(3) (3) The actual fineness of the entire quantity of gold and gold alloys contained in any article mentioned in this section, except watch cases and flatware, including all solder or alloy of inferior metal used for brazing or uniting the parts of the article, shall not be less, by more than one karat, than the fineness marked on the article. In determining the quality of gold and gold alloys for purposes of this subsection, the gold, alloys and solder being tested shall be tested as one piece.

134.25 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.26 134.26 Misbranding of sterling silver articles.

134.26(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2) and s. 134.29, any person who sells any article of merchandise made in whole or in part of silver or of any alloy of silver marked with the words “sterling silver” or “sterling” or any colorable imitation of “sterling silver” or “sterling”, unless nine hundred twenty-five one-thousandths of the component parts of the metal appearing or purporting to be silver are pure silver is guilty of a misdemeanor.

134.26(2) (2) In the case of all articles that are subject to sub. (1), there shall be allowed a divergence in fineness of four one-thousandths parts from the standards under sub. (1).

134.26 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.27 134.27 Misbranding of coin silver articles.

134.27(1) (1) Except as provided in sub. (2) and s. 134.29, any person who sells any article of merchandise made in whole or in part of silver or of any alloy of silver marked with the words “coin” or “coin silver”, or any colorable imitation of “coin” or “coin silver”, unless nine hundred one-thousandths of the component parts of the metal appearing or purporting to be silver are pure silver is guilty of a misdemeanor.

134.27(2) (2) In the case of all articles that are subject to sub. (1), there shall be allowed a divergence in fineness of four one-thousandths parts from the standards under sub. (1).

134.27 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.28 134.28 Misbranding of base silver articles. Except as provided in s. 134.29, any person who sells any article of merchandise made in whole or in part of silver or of any alloy of silver marked in way, other than with the word “sterling” or the word “coin”, indicating, or designed or intended to indicate, that the silver or alloy of silver in the article is of a greater degree of fineness than the actual fineness or quality of the silver or alloy, unless the actual fineness of the silver or alloy of silver of which the article is composed is not less by more than four one-thousandths parts than the actual fineness, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

134.28 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.29 134.29 Testing of silver articles.

134.29(1) (1) In any test to determine the fineness of any silver article mentioned in ss. 134.26 to 134.28, according to the standards contained in ss. 134.26 to 134.28, the part of the article taken for the test shall not contain or have attached to it any solder or alloy of inferior metal used for brazing or uniting the parts of the article.

134.29(2) (2) Notwithstanding sub. (1) and ss. 134.26 to 134.28, the actual fineness of the entire quantity of metal purporting to be silver contained in any article mentioned in ss. 134.26 to 134.28, including all solder or alloy of inferior fineness used for brazing or uniting the parts of the article, shall not be less by more than ten one-thousandths parts than the fineness marked on the article, according to the standards contained in ss. 134.26 to 134.28. In determining the fineness of metal for purposes of this subsection, the silver, alloy or solder being tested shall be tested as one piece.

134.29 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.30 134.30 Misbranding of gold plated articles. Any person, firm, corporation or association, who or which makes for sale, or sells or offers to sell or dispose of, or has in his, her or its possession with intent to sell or dispose of, any article of merchandise made in whole or in part of inferior metal having deposited or plated thereon or brazed or otherwise affixed thereto a plate, plating, covering or sheet of gold or of any alloy of gold, and which article is known in the market as “rolled gold plate,” “gold plate,” “gold filled” or “gold electroplate,” or by any similar designation, and having stamped, branded, engraved or imprinted thereon, or upon any tag, card or label attached thereto, or upon any box, package, cover or wrapper in which said article is encased or enclosed, any word or mark usually employed to indicate the fineness of gold, unless said word be accompanied by other words plainly indicating that such article or some part thereof is made of rolled gold plate, or gold plate, or gold electroplate, or is gold filled, as the case may be, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

134.31 134.31 Misbranding of silver-plated articles. Any person who sells any article of merchandise made in whole or in part of inferior metal, having deposited or plated on the inferior metal or brazed or otherwise affixed to the inferior metal, a plate, plating, covering or sheet of silver or of any alloy of silver known in the market as “silver plate” or “silver electroplate”, or any similar designation, which is marked with the word “sterling” or the word “coin”, either alone or in conjunction with any other words or marks, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

134.31 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.32 134.32 Penalty for violations of ss. 134.25 to 134.31. Every person who violates any of the provisions of ss. 134.25 to 134.31, and every officer, manager, director or managing agent of any such person directly participating in or consenting to a violation of ss. 134.25 to 134.31, shall be fined not less than $25 nor more than $500 or imprisoned for not more than 3 months or both.

134.32 History History: 1997 a. 254.

134.33 134.33 Platinum stamping.

134.33(1) (1) Definitions. In this section unless the context otherwise requires:

134.33(1)(a) (a) “Apply” and “applied” include any method or means of application or attachment to, or of use on, or in connection with, or in relation to, an article, whether such application, attachment or use is to, on, by, in or with the article itself, or anything attached to the article, or anything to which the article is attached, or anything in or on which the article is, or anything so used or placed as to lead to a reasonable belief that the mark on that thing is meant to be taken as a mark on the article itself.

134.33(1)(b) (b) “Article” means any article of merchandise and includes any portion of such article, whether a distinct part thereof, or not, including every part thereof whether or not separable and also including material for manufacture.

134.33(1)(c) (c) “Mark” means any mark, sign, device, imprint, stamp, brand applied to any article, or to any tag, card, paper, label, box, carton, container, holder, package cover or wrapping attached to, used in conjunction with or enclosing such article or any bill, bill of sale, invoice, statement, letter, circular, advertisement, notice, memorandum or other writing or printing.

134.33(1)(d) (d) “Platinum,” “iridium,” “palladium,” “ruthenium,” “rhodium” or “osmium,” include any alloy or alloys of any one or more of said metals.

134.33(1)(e) (e) “Quality mark” is any mark as herein defined indicating, describing, identifying or referring to or appearing or seeming or purporting to indicate, describe, identify or refer to the partial or total presence or existence of or the quality of or the percentage of or the purity of or the number of parts of platinum, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium in any article.

134.33(2) (2) Application of quality mark.

134.33(2)(a) (a) When an article is composed of mechanism, works or movements and of a case or cover containing the mechanism, works or movements, a quality mark applied to the article shall be deemed not to be, nor to be intended to be, applied to the mechanism, works, or movements.

134.33(2)(b) (b) The quality mark applied to the article shall be deemed not to apply to springs, winding bars, sleeves, crown cores, mechanical joint pins, screws, rivets, dust-bands, detachable movement rims, hatpin stems, bracelet and necklace snap tongues. In addition, in the event that an article is marked under sub. (1) (e), the quality mark applied to the article shall be deemed not to apply to pin tongues, joints, catches, lapel button backs and the posts to which they are attached, scarf pin stems, hat pin sockets, shirtstud backs, vest button backs and ear screw backs, provided such parts are made of the same quality of gold as is used in the balance of this article.

134.33(3) (3) Trademark. If there is any quality mark printed, stamped or branded on the article itself, there must also be printed, stamped or branded on the said article itself the following mark, to wit: A trademark duly applied for or registered under the laws of the United States of the manufacturer of such article; except that if such manufacturer has sold or contracted to sell such article to a jobber, wholesaler or retail dealer regularly engaged in the business of buying and selling similar articles, this provision shall be deemed to be complied with if there is so marked on the said article the trademark duly registered under the laws of the United States of such jobber, wholesaler or retail dealer respectively; and in such event there may also be marked on the said article itself numerals intended to identify the articles, design or pattern provided, however, that such numerals do not appear or purport to be a part of the quality mark and provided that they are not calculated to mislead or deceive anyone into believing that they are part of the quality mark.

134.33(4) (4) Quality marks; description.

134.33(4)(a) (a) All quality marks applied to any article shall be equal in size and equally visible, legible, clear and distinct and no quality mark which is false, deceptive or misleading shall be applied to any article or to any descriptive device therefor. No more than one quality mark shall be applied to any article and such quality mark shall be applied to such article in only one place thereon except as elsewhere in this section specifically permitted.

134.33(4)(b) (b) Wherever in this article provision is made for marking the number of parts or percentage of metals such number or percentage shall refer to weight and not to volume, thickness or any other basis.

134.33(5) (5) Quality; contents. There shall not be applied to any article any quality mark nor any colorable imitation thereof, nor any contraction thereof, nor any addition thereto, nor any words or letters, nor any mark purporting to be or resembling a quality mark except as follows:

134.33(5)(a) (a) An article consisting of at least nine hundred eighty-five thousandths parts of platinum, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium, where solder is not used and at least nine hundred fifty thousandths parts of said metal or metals where solder is used, may be marked “platinum” provided that the total of the aforementioned metals other than pure platinum shall amount to no more than fifty thousandths parts of the contents of the entire article.

134.33(5)(b) (b) An article consisting of at least nine hundred eighty-five thousandths parts of platinum, iridium, palladium, rhodium, ruthenium or osmium where solder is not used and at least nine hundred fifty thousandths parts of the said metal or metals where solder is used, and provided further that at least seven hundred fifty thousandths parts of said article are pure platinum, may be marked “platinum,” provided immediately preceding the mark “platinum” there is marked the name or abbreviation as hereinafter provided, of either iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium, whichever of said metals predominates and provided further that such predominating other metal must be more than fifty thousandths part of the entire article.

134.33(5)(c) (c) An article consisting of at least nine hundred eighty-five thousandths parts of platinum, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium, where solder is not used and at least nine hundred fifty thousandths parts of said metals where solder is used, provided more than five hundred thousandths parts of said article consist of pure platinum, may be marked with the word “platinum,” provided that said word is immediately preceded by a decimal fraction in one-thousandths showing the platinum content in proportion to the content of the entire article, and further provided that said mark “platinum” be followed by the name or abbreviation as herein allowed, of such one or more of the following metals, to wit: iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium, that may be present in the article in quantity of more than fifty-thousandths parts of the entire article. The name of such other metal or metals other than platinum, however, shall each be immediately preceded by a decimal fraction in one-thousandths showing the content of such other metal or metals in proportion to the entire article, as for example, 600 plat., 350 pall., or 500 plat., 200 pall., 150 ruth., 100 rhod.

134.33(5)(d) (d) An article consisting of nine hundred fifty thousandths parts of the following metals: platinum, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium with less than five hundred thousandths parts of the entire article consisting of pure platinum, may be marked with the name iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium or osmium, whichever predominates in the said article, but in no event with the mark “platinum,” provided, however, that the quantity of such metal other than platinum so marked, must be marked in decimal thousandths, and provided further that the name of such metal other than platinum so used must be spelled out in full irrespective of any other provisions of this article to the contrary.

134.33(5)(e) (e) An article composed of platinum and gold which resembles, appears or purports to be platinum, may be marked with a karat mark and the platinum mark, provided:

134.33(5)(e)1. 1. The platinum in such article shall be at least nine hundred eighty-five thousandths parts pure platinum; and

134.33(5)(e)2. 2. The fineness of the gold in such article shall be correctly described by the karat mark of said gold; and

134.33(5)(e)3. 3. The percentage of platinum in the article is no less than 5 percent in weight of the total weight of the article; and

134.33(5)(e)4. 4. The mark shall be so applied that the karat mark shall immediately precede the platinum mark, as for example, “14 K & Plat.”, “18 K & Plat.”, as the case may be, it being expressly provided that in case the percentage of platinum exceeds the 5 percent provided herein, the quality mark may also include a declaration of the percentage of platinum, as for example, “18 K & 1/10th Plat.”, or “14 K & 1/8th Plat.”, or as the case may be.

134.33(5)(f) (f) An article composed of platinum and any other material or metal not resembling, appearing or purporting to be platinum, may be marked with the quality mark platinum provided all parts or portions of such article resembling or appearing or purporting to be platinum, or reasonably purporting to be described as platinum by said quality mark, shall be at least nine hundred eighty-five thousandths parts pure platinum.

134.33(6) (6) Abbreviations. Whenever provided for in this article, except as specifically excepted, the word “platinum” may be applied by spelling it out in full or by the abbreviation “plat.”, the word “iridium” may be applied by spelling it out in full or by the abbreviation “irid.”, the word “palladium” may be applied by spelling it out in full or by the abbreviation “pall.”, the word “ruthenium” may be applied by spelling it out in full or by the abbreviation “ruth.”, the word “rhodium” may be applied by spelling it out in full or by the abbreviation “rhod.”, and the word “osmium” may be applied by spelling it out in full or by the abbreviation “osmi.”.

134.33(7) (7) Prima facie proof.

134.33(7)(a) (a) In any action relating to the enforcement of any provision of this section, a certificate duly issued by an assay office of the treasury department of the United States, certifying the weight of any article, or any part thereof, or of the kind, weight, quality, fineness or quantity of any ingredient thereof, shall be receivable in evidence as constituting prima facie proof of the matter or matters so certified.

134.33(7)(b) (b) In any action relating to the enforcement of this section, proof that an article has been marked in violation of this section shall be deemed to be prima facie proof that such article was manufactured after July 1, 1937.

134.33(8) (8) Penalties. Any person, firm, partnership, corporation or association or any officer, director, employee or agent thereof who makes, or sells, or offers to sell, or disposes of, or has in his or her or its possession, with intent to sell or dispose of, any article as herein defined to which is applied any quality mark which does not conform to all the provisions of this section, or from which is omitted any mark required by this section, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months, or by both such fine and imprisonment in the discretion of the court, provided, however, that it shall be a defense to any prosecution under this section for the defendant to prove that the said article was manufactured and marked with the intention of and for purposes of exportation from the United States, and that the said article was either actually exported from the United States to a foreign country within 6 months after date of manufacture thereof with the bona fide intention of being sold in the said country and of not being reimported, or that it was delivered within 6 months after date of manufacture thereof, to a person, firm or corporation whose exclusive customary business is the exportation of such articles from the United States.

134.33(10) (10) Effective date. This section shall take effect July 1, 1937, and shall not apply to any article manufactured prior thereto.

134.33 History History: 1979 c. 89; 1981 c. 390 s. 252; 1983 a. 189; 1993 a. 482; 1997 a. 254; 2001 a. 103.

134.34 134.34 Duplication of vessel hulls and parts.

134.34(1) (1) In this section:

134.34(1)(a) (a) “Direct molding process” means any direct molding process in which the original manufactured vessel hull or component part of a vessel is itself used as a plug for the making of the mold, which is then used to manufacture a duplicate item.

134.34(1)(b) (b) “Mold” means a matrix or form in which a substance or material is shaped.

134.34(1)(c) (c) “Plug” means a device or model used to make a mold for the purpose of exact duplication.

134.34(2) (2) No person may use the direct molding process to duplicate for the purpose of sale a manufactured vessel hull or component part of a vessel made by another person without the written permission of that other person.

134.34(3) (3) No person may knowingly sell a vessel hull or component part of a vessel duplicated in violation of sub. (2).

134.34(4) (4) This section applies only to vessel hulls or component parts of vessels duplicated using a mold made after June 30, 1983.

134.34(5) (5) A person who suffers injury or damage as the result of a violation of this section may bring an action in circuit court for an injunction prohibiting the violation. In addition, the person shall be entitled to actual damages incurred as a result of the violation, reasonable attorney fees and costs, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1).

134.34 History History: 1983 a. 324.

134.345 134.345 Form retention and disposal.

134.345(1) (1) In this section:

134.345(1)(a) (a) “Customer” means any person who causes a molder to make a form or to use a form to make a product.

134.345(1)(b) (b) “Form” means an object in or around which material is placed to make a mold for pouring plastic or casting metal, and includes a mold, die or pattern.

134.345(1)(c) (c) “Molder” means any person who makes a form or who uses a form to make a product.

134.345(2) (2) Unless a customer and a molder otherwise agree in writing a molder may, as provided in sub. (3), dispose of a form possessed by a customer if the customer does not take from the molder physical custody of the form within 3 years after the molder’s last prior use of the form.

134.345(3) (3) A molder who wishes to dispose of a form shall send written notice by registered mail with return receipt requested to the customer’s last-known address and to any address set forth in the agreement under which the molder obtained physical custody of the form. The notice shall state that the molder intends to dispose of the form. The molder may dispose of the form without liability to the customer if, within 120 days after the molder receives the return receipt of the notice or within 120 days after the molder sends notice if no return receipt is received within that period, the customer does not take physical custody of the form or enter into an agreement with the molder for taking possession or physical custody of the form.

134.345 History History: 1987 a. 399.

134.35 134.35 Time of filing endorsed on telegrams delivered.

134.35(1) (1) Every person, firm or corporation operating a telegraph line or lines in this state shall, without extra charge therefor, cause to be written, stamped or printed in a conspicuous place upon the addressee’s copy of each telegram originating at and destined to a point within this state, the hour and minute of the day in which the copy of such telegram was filed or left with such person, firm or corporation for transmission and the hour and minute of the day when such telegram was received in the office of such person, firm or corporation at its destination.

134.35(2) (2) Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this section shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor.

134.36 134.36 Telegraph; divulging message; preference in sending, etc. Any officer or other person connected with, or in the business or management of, any telegraph company doing business in this state who shall divulge or communicate any telegraph message or dispatch or the substance or any part thereof, except to the person entitled to receive the same, or who shall give unlawful preference in the sending, transmitting or receiving of telegraph messages or dispatches, or shall willfully fail or neglect to give preference to dispatches or messages in the order of time in which applications are received shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail not more than one year or by fine not exceeding $500.

134.37 134.37 Divulging message or forging receipt. Any person connected with a telegraph or messenger company, incorporated or unincorporated, operating a line of telegraph or engaged in the business of receiving and delivering messages in this state, in any capacity, who willfully divulges the contents, or the nature of the contents of a private communication entrusted to the person for transmission or delivery, or who willfully refuses or neglects to transmit or deliver the same, or who willfully forges the name of the intended receiver to a receipt for any such message or communication or article of value entrusted to the person by said company, shall be imprisoned in the county jail, not exceeding one year, or be fined not to exceed $500, in the discretion of the court.

134.37 History History: 1993 a. 482.

134.38 134.38 Companies to post copies of s. 134.37. All telegraph or messenger companies whose employees are affected by s. 134.37 are hereby required to post, in their offices in this state, a copy of s. 134.37, under a penalty of $10 and costs for each and every offense.

134.38 History History: 1979 c. 89.

134.39 134.39 Fraudulent knowledge of dispatch; injury to wires; interference. Any person who shall, by any device or means whatever, procure or attempt to procure from any officer or other person connected with or in the business or management of any telegraph company transacting business within this state, any knowledge of the contents or substance of any telegraph message or dispatch not addressed to himself or herself or to which he or she is not entitled, or who shall, without lawful authority, tamper or interfere with, use or in any manner intentionally, carelessly or negligently disturb or interrupt any telegraph wires or lines of any such telegraph company, or who shall intentionally, carelessly or negligently fell any tree or timber so as to break, destroy or injure any such telegraph wires, without first giving 24 hours’ notice of his or her intention to do so to some agent of the company at its nearest office or to some agent of a railroad company at its nearest office, in case such wires are constructed along any railroad, or who shall, without the consent of such company, send or attempt to send any message or dispatch over said wire or lines, in any manner whatever, or shall intercept, interrupt or disturb any dispatch passing upon any such wires or lines, or who shall willfully or maliciously interfere with, obstruct, prevent or delay, by any means or contrivance whatsoever, the sending, transmission or receiving of any wireless telegraph message, communication or report by any wireless telegraph company doing business in this state, or who shall aid, agree with, employ or conspire with any person or persons to unlawfully interfere with, obstruct, prevent or delay the sending, transmission or receiving of any such wireless telegraph message, shall be punished by imprisonment in the county jail not more than one year or by fine not exceeding $1,000.

134.39 History History: 1993 a. 482.

134.405 134.405 Purchase and sale of certain scrap material.

134.405(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

134.405(1)(a) (a) “Commercial account” means a commercial enterprise with which a scrap dealer maintains an ongoing and documented business relationship.

134.405(1)(b) (b) “Commercial enterprise” means a corporation, partnership, limited liability company, business operated by an individual, association, state agency, political subdivision, or other government or business entity, including a scrap dealer.