[LINK] copyright question

[Karl Auer]

On Mon, 2011-04-04 at 10:12 +0930, Steven Clark wrote:
> if the work itself doesn't indicate who holds/held copyright (at or
> about the time of publication), does it name a publisher? (was the
> work published?)

The work I have was published in 1944, but the author died in 1936. The
work was first published before his death though. The publisher is long
since gone; tracking its possible acquisition path is more work than
it's worth.

Having looked at various references people have suggested, my confidence
is increasing that 70 years after his death, copyright is no longer
there.

> so it's quite possible
> that *no one* knows who holds/held the copyright.

I really think that there is no copyright. Everything I can find says
that 70 years after the death of the author, copyright in a written work
of this nature expires (provided it was published before his/her death).

> perhaps a copyright/ip lawyer could help you find a more definitive
> answer.

Obviously. Not going to happen though...

Regards, K.

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Karl Auer (kauer at biplane.com.au)                   +61-2-64957160 (h)
http://www.biplane.com.au/kauer/                   +61-428-957160 (mob)

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