[Sorry for re-post. The first one seems to have gone through mangled. ] re: Mark Twain Company (endorsements et al) Isn't that the thinking behind this? http://www.twainquotes.com/19081224.html "The New York Times, December 24, 1908 MARK TWAIN TURN INTO A CORPORATION" See also : http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Profiles/People_Profile/0,2540,43,00.html "He even registered the name Mark Twain as a trademark and endorsed numerous products, including cigars. (He also lent the Mark Twain name to flour, a typewriter, a fountain pen, bourbon and beer. Biographer Kaplan says this might have been done more for exposure than for money.)" Dave Davis