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.
1675* | Counterfeited Privilege in Grimmelshausen's 'The Magic Bird's Nest' Commentary: [1] |
1721* | Burnet v. Chetwood Commentary: [1] |
1737* | Booksellers' Bill Commentary: [1] |
1773* | Saxonian Statute Commentary: [1] |
1837* | Prussian Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1845* | Court of Appeal on translations Commentary: [1] |
1846* | Bilateral Treaty between Prussia and Great Britain Commentary: [1] |
1846* | Austrian Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1847* | Literary Property Act Commentary: [1] |
1847* | A Treatise on the Law of Copyright Commentary: [1] |
1852* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1853* | Stowe v. Thomas Commentary: [1] |
1854* | Franco-Spanish Bilateral Copyright Treaty |
1857* | Wächter: 'Publishing Right' Commentary: [1] |
1857* | Anglo-Spanish Copyright Treaty Commentary: [1] |
1868* | Proudhon: 'Les Majorats littéraires' |
1870* | Copyright Act for the German Empire Commentary: [1] |
1878* | Royal Commissioners' Report Commentary: [1] |
1879* | Drone on Copyright |
1884* | Orelli: 'Swiss Copyright Act 1883 with comments and appendices' Commentary: [1] |
1886* | International Copyright Act Commentary: [1] |
1891* | International Copyright Act (The Chace Act) |