Thank you, Jane. Your experience is precious and your information very valuable. Sr. Claire
On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 12:39 PM, Jane Partridge < [EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > , Sister Claire <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes > >My question: If there is no date printed in the book, how can I exercise > due > >diligence to determine if it is still in copyright? > > I have a little book of knitted lace collars, published in 1841, which > raised the same query for me when I first had it, as I wanted to have a > couple of colour photocopies done (some of the printing is in colour) > mainly for my own use, but without breaking copyright. This was so that > I could take the reproduction with me when demonstrating and teaching, > without risking adding to the fragility of the original book - it also > enabled me to make an enlarged copy - easier to read! > > I can't remember now exactly how I found it, but I think I probably > googled the name and address of the publisher as quoted (the husband of > the author in this case, they had a business selling her pattern books, > people would make the collars and they had the option then of selling > the collars back to the company so that the company could sell both > collars and instructions for DIY.) and came up with the email address of > the person doing research into the family history (not a direct > descendant, but close enough) who was able to give me information > regarding when both of the couple died, and that the company (a further > consideration) died with the husband, thus confirming that this book was > out of copyright. > > Some books have a number code on the flyleaf - I think there was some > discussion as to the early DMC Encyclopaedias being dated in this way, > and once you know the key to that system you can date the book, if not > the author. Remember that if someone writes a book when he/she is 20, > and lives until he/she is 90, then the copyright period will be 140 > years from the time the book is published! This could mean that a book > written in 1870 may actually still be in copyright. > > Hence the reason for researching the author, and his/her date of death > through the genealogy sites. > -- > Jane Partridge > - To unsubscribe send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] containing the line: unsubscribe lace [EMAIL PROTECTED] For help, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
