The U.S. Supreme Court case Meccano, Limited v. John Wanamaker, New York in 1919 revolved around a dispute over trademark infringement and unfair competition. British company Meccano Ltd., known for their construction toys, sued American department store John Wanamaker for selling similar products under the name "American Meccano". The court ruled in favor of Meccano Ltd., stating that even though the term 'Meccano' was not registered as a trademark in the United States at that time, it had acquired secondary meaning due to its extensive use and advertising by the plaintiff both domestically and internationally. Therefore, using this name could potentially mislead customers into thinking they were buying genuine 'Meccanos'. This decision set an important precedent regarding international trademarks and protection against unfair competition.

In the dissenting opinion for Meccano, Limited v. John Wanamaker, New York (1919), Justice Holmes argued that the majority's decision to uphold a tariff on imported toys was incorrect because it relied too heavily on an overly literal interpretation of the law. He contended that while Meccano's products could technically be classified as "toys," they were primarily educational tools designed to teach children about engineering and mechanics. As such, he believed they should have been exempt from tariffs under existing laws which excluded educational materials from import duties. Furthermore, he criticized his colleagues for failing to consider the broader implications of their ruling and warned that it would set a dangerous precedent by allowing customs officials to impose tariffs based purely on their own subjective interpretations of what constitutes a toy.