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.
1553* | Totell's Printing Patent (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1559* | Day's privilege for The Cosmographical Glass (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1662* | Licensing Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1710* | Statute of Anne (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1735* | Engravers' Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1769* | Millar v. Taylor (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1835* | Publication of Lectures Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1842* | Lowndes' Historical Sketch of the Law of Copyright (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1862* | Fine Art Copyright Act (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |