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.
1501* | Imperial Senate privilege to the Sodalitas Celtica (Germany) Commentary: [1] |
1549* | Decree Establishing the Venetian Guild of Printers and Booksellers (Italy) |
1618* | Book trade regulations and incorporation of the Parisian book trade (France) Commentary: [1] |
1650s* | Vitré's memorandum on the prolongation of privileges (France) |
1660* | Frankfurt Printers' Ordinance (Germany) Commentary: [1] |
1665* | French book trade regulations (France) |
1673 | Nuremberg Printers' Ordinance (Germany) |
1686* | Book trade regulations (France) |
1713* | 'Books Constitution' of Emperor Rudolf II (Germany) Commentary: [1] |
1721* | Burnet v. Chetwood (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1724* | Electoral Saxon Printing and Censorship Acts from 1549 to 1717 (Germany) Commentary: [1] |
1725-1726* | Louis d'Héricourt's memorandum (France) Commentary: [1] |
1763* | Diderot's Letter on the book trade (France) Commentary: [1] |
1766* | The Swedish Freedom of the Press Ordinance (Scandinavia) Commentary: [1] |
1773 | Rescript on Post-Publication Censorship (Scandinavia) Commentary: [1] |
1777* | Linguet's memorandum (France) Commentary: [1] |
1778* | Pluquet's letters (France) Commentary: [1] |
1785* | Austrian Statutes on Censorship and Printing (Germany) Commentary: [1] |
1785 | North Carolina Copyright Statute (United States) |
1786 | Georgia Copyright Statute (United States) |
1786 | New York Copyright Statute (United States) |
1791* | Le Chapelier's report (France) Commentary: [1] |
1799* | Renewed Censorship Legislation, Denmark–Norway (Scandinavia) |
1810 | Swedish Freedom of the Press Ordinance (Scandinavia) Commentary: [1] |
1812* | Swedish Freedom of the Press Ordinance (Scandinavia) |
1828* | Maugham's Treatise (United Kingdom) Commentary: [1] |
1832 | Select Committee Report: Dramatic Literature (United Kingdom) |
1841 | Swedish Ordinance on the Limitation of Terms of Protection (Scandinavia) Commentary: [1] |
1843 | An Address to the People of the United States (United States) |
1853 | Blaine's Laws of Artistic Copyright (United Kingdom) |
1857* | Wächter: 'Publishing Right' (Germany) Commentary: [1] |
1899 | Bleistein v. Donaldson Lithographing Co., District Court Decision (United States) |
1902 | Bleistein's Brief (United States) |
1902 | Bleistein: Donaldson Lithographing Co. Brief (United States) |
1903* | Bleistein v. Donaldson Lithographing Co. (United States) Commentary: [1] |