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.
1710* | Statute of Anne Commentary: [1] |
1721* | Burnet v. Chetwood Commentary: [1] |
1721 | Burnet's Bill of Complaint and Chetwood's Answer |
1729 | Gay v. Read |
1737* | Booksellers' Bill Commentary: [1] |
1737* | Baller v. Watson: Entry from the Court's Book of Orders Commentary: [1] |
1737 | An Act for the Encouragement of Learning (Draft) |
1741* | Gyles v. Wilcox (Atkyn's Reports) Commentary: [1] |
1741 | Gyles v. Wilcox (Barnardiston's Report) |
1741 | Pope's Bill of Complaint, and Curl's Answer |
1741 | Pope v Curl: Entry from the Court's Book of Orders |
1747* | Warburton's Letter from an Author Commentary: [1] |
1761 | Tonson v. Collins |
1762* | Tonson v. Collins Commentary: [1] |
1762 | A Vindication of the Rights of Authors |
1766 | Blackstone's Commentaries, Vol.II (selected extracts) |
1769* | Millar v. Taylor Commentary: [1] |
1773* | Hinton v. Donaldson Commentary: [1] |
1773 | Information for Messrs John Hinton et al |
1773 | Information for Alexander Donaldson |
1774* | Donaldson v. Becket Commentary: [1] |
1774 | Hargrave's Argument in Defence of Literary Property |
1774 | The Cases of the Appellants and Respondents |
1774 | The Pleadings of the Counsel before the House |
1774 | Booksellers' Bill |
1774 | Enfield's Observations |
1774 | Macauley's A Modest Plea |
1777* | Bach v. Longman Commentary: [1] |
1798* | Beckford v. Hood Commentary: [1] |
1812 | Petition of the London Booksellers |
1813 | Petition of the Printers of London and Westminster |
1813 | Report of the Acts Respecting Copyright |
1813 | Select Committee Report on Acts for the Encouragement of Learning |
1813 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence |
1814* | Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (18 May) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (7 June) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (12 July) |
1814 | Bill to amend Acts for the Encouragement of Learning (15 July) |
1818 | Select Committee Report on the Copyright Acts |
1818 | Select Committee Report: Minutes of Evidence |
1828* | Maugham's Treatise Commentary: [1] |
1835* | Publication of Lectures Act Commentary: [1] |
1835 | Publication of Lectures Bill |
1837 | Copyright Bill (6 June) |
1838 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (25 April) |
1838 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (9 May) |
1838 | Copyright Bill (27 Feb.) |
1838 | Copyright Bill (6 June) |
1839 | Copyright Bill |
1840 | Copyright Bill |
1840 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (4 Feb.) |
1840 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (14 Feb.) |
1841 | Copyright Bill |
1841 | Parliamentary Debates on the Copyright Bill (29 Jan.) |
1842* | Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
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 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (4 March) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (23 March) |
1842 | Bill to Amend the Law of Copyright (21 April) |
1853 | Blaine's Laws of Artistic Copyright |
1854* | Jeffreys v. Boosey Commentary: [1] |
1862 | Parliamentary Debates on the Fine Art Copyright Act (22 May) |
1870* | Copinger's Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
1878 | Royal Commission on Copyright: Minutes of Evidence |