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Karen Wiles

3 Months Ago

Copyright & Public Domain

I am a bit confused as to a copyright date & public domain to find the age of a piece of art or book, etc...
Could someone explain to me if there is a copyright date in a book of 1906 however, on the publishing company page, it is listed as 1923, how old is the book?
Also I am completely confused of the term "Public Domain," as far as antique books or artworks as this seemed to change recently. Could someone please explain this term to me and what this means exactly?

Thank you,
Karen Wiles
http://karem-wiles.pixels.com

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Abbie Shores

3 Months Ago

Please note that nobody here is a legal advisor and all posts on this thread will not be legal advice therefore. You should read it, but then actually take proper legal advice. You should not quote any post here if you are called up on something in the future

Abbie
------------------
Manager
Fine Art America | Pixels
Manchester, UK | Santa Monica, CA

 

Karen Wiles

3 Months Ago

noted, Thank you Abbie for clarifying...

 

Fabrizio Terzi

3 Months Ago

Hi Keren... The copyright of a work, as far as I know, is based on the date of publication and may vary depending on national laws. In the case of a 1906 book, copyright protection typically lasted 28 years with the possibility of renewal for another 67 years, leading to a maximum of 95 years. So, in 2024, a book from 1906 should be in the public domain, as more than 95 years have passed since its publication.

However, in your example, if on the company page it is listed as published in 1923, then the copyright protection would be based on this date. In this case, the book would still be under copyright until 2018 (95 years since its 1923 publication).

As for the term "public domain", it refers to creative works, such as books or works of art, that are no longer protected by copyright and can be freely used by the public. Copyright laws vary, but in general, when a work enters the public domain, it can be reproduced, distributed, and used without the need to obtain permission from the copyright holder.

Copyright laws can be complex and subject to change, so it is always best to consult a legal expert for specific, up-to-date details.

You can find more information on this site: https://www.copyright.gov/registration/literary-works/

 

Just following this discussion for future reference. Good question for certain posible future usage. Understanding lawyers legal advice is the best of course

 

Karen Wiles

3 Months Ago

Thank you so very much Fabrizio. This explained completely and I appreciate it greatly!

 

Fabrizio Terzi

3 Months Ago

You're welcome, Karen!

 

Shelli Fitzpatrick

3 Months Ago

There is also a thing called CC0 which are images that are essentially the same as public domain in that the creator of the image has waived their copyright and released the image into the public domain and they are free to use even for commercial purposes.


https://wiki.creativecommons.org/wiki/CC0_FAQ

 

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