This is a freely-accessible, publicly-funded digital archive that collects together significant documents relating to the history of copyright law and practice. The documents have been selected by national editors, with the input of an editorial advisory board. Key documents are, where appropriate, transcribed and translated. The editors have written commentaries, explaining the reasons for selecting documents and their significance. The project was launched in 2008, initially funded by the AHRC in relation to 5 countries. Since 2024 it is supported by the AHRC as UK research infrastructure. The archive now extends to more than 20 (including historical and religious) jurisdictions and over 700 primary source documents. They can be browsed by date/language/jurisdiction, or searched.
1747* | Warburton's Letter from an Author Commentary: [1] |
1774* | Donaldson v. Becket Commentary: [1] |
1774 | The Pleadings of the Counsel before the House |
1798* | Beckford v. Hood Commentary: [1] |
1818 | Select Committee Report on the Copyright Acts |
1828* | Maugham's Treatise Commentary: [1] |
1840 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (4 Feb.) |
1840 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (14 Feb.) |
1841 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (29 Jan.) |
1842* | Lowndes' Historical Sketch of the Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (6 April) |
1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (9 May) |
1842 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Act (9 May) |
1853 | Blaine's Laws of Artistic Copyright |
1854* | Jeffreys v. Boosey Commentary: [1] |
1858 | Report of the Artistic Copyright Committee |
1870* | Copinger's Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
1878* | Royal Commissioners' Report Commentary: [1] |
1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence |