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.
1498* | Ottaviano Petrucci's Music Patent Commentary: [1] |
1546* | Privilege Granted to Enea Vico (Parmigiano) |
1556 (1555 m.v.)* | Privilege Granted to Antonio Floriano |
1556* | Privilege Granted to Giovanni Ostaus |
1809* | Baden Civil Code Commentary: [1] |
1832* | Gans: On the right to perform published stage plays Commentary: [1] |
1834* | Balzac's letter to authors |
1837* | Prussian Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1840* | Bilateral Treaty between Austria and Sardinia Commentary: [1] |
1846* | Bilateral Treaty between Prussia and Great Britain Commentary: [1] |
1846* | Austrian Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1852* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1853* | Bluntschli: On Authors' Rights Commentary: [1] |
1857* | Wächter: 'Publishing Right' Commentary: [1] |
1862* | Court of Cassation on photography Commentary: [1] |
1868* | Proudhon: 'Les Majorats littéraires' |
1870* | Copyright Act for the German Empire Commentary: [1] |
1870* | Copinger's Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |