Postcard Copyright

[Kelv]

Does anyone know what the copyright laws are for old postcards? I have two projects in mind:

1. Exhibition in my village of cards from 1900 to 2000 showing how it has developed and changes - would like to scan and blow up some of the images so that they can be seen more clearly
2. Booklet to go with the exhibition - some of the oldest and best cards don't have any credit on them so the copyright owner is impossible to trace for permission. Others do have the name but I can't trace the photographer.

Any tips on how to to find out the legal position would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[kevinramsdale]

Does anyone know what the copyright laws are for old postcards? I have two projects in mind:

1. Exhibition in my village of cards from 1900 to 2000 showing how it has developed and changes - would like to scan and blow up some of the images so that they can be seen more clearly
2. Booklet to go with the exhibition - some of the oldest and best cards don't have any credit on them so the copyright owner is impossible to trace for permission. Others do have the name but I can't trace the photographer.

Any tips on how to to find out the legal position would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

See earlier thread:

http://www.postcard.co.uk/messages/post ... ?f=2&t=258

Inconclusive though.

[Kelv]

Thank you - very helpful

[andystabler]

Hi Kelv
Im a journalist with a local newspaper, and copyright for pictures is 70 years, if they are older than that you can do what you want. I don't see postcards any different. Good luck

[Moonraker]

Copyright is a topic that comes up from time to time on a Great War forum to which I belong: conflicting advice is given, and we always go around in diminishing circles.
My understanding is that copyright of photographic postcards extends for 70 years after the death of the publisher (or person who took the photos).
T L Fuller was a leading postcard publisher in Amesbury, Wiltshire in the 1910s and his cards of military activities and early aeroplanes are often reproduced in books. His grandson - who is also a photographer in Amesbury - likes to be asked for permission first and then is always very co-operative; he even lent me a superior copy of an original photograph which was better than my PC - but I believe that stern letters have been sent to people who go ahead without asking him.
This is an exceptional case. It would be impossible to trace the descendants of nearly all the publishers of other cards in my collection, though I've a vague idea that one or two of the brand names used 100 years belonged to W H Smith; and some of my cards were published by the YMCA - easy enough to contact.
In the case in this thread, I would display a disclaimer explaining how difficult it is to trace all the owners of copyright and if anyone believes (s)he owns the copyright then you would be delighted to hear from with a view to acknowledging this in any future display or publication.
But the more modern the material it is the less easy is it to plead this, and it would be as well not to use such cards.

[kevinramsdale]

It would be impossible to trace the descendants of nearly all the publishers of other cards in my collection, though I've a vague idea that one or two of the brand names used 100 years belonged to W H Smith

The main brand names they used were Kingsway, Derwent and Aldwych.

[Irina]

Could you let me know which other postcard publishers retain copyright?
Thanks

[eastlondonpostcard]

Could you let me know which other postcard publishers retain copyright?
Thanks

Judges of Hastings are still operating and so too are Francis Frith with their old books and prints - rule of thumb is to look up a publisher and check if they are still operating .......... hope it helps

[Irina]

Thank you so much, it is really helpful. I understand that Raphael Tuck and Salmon also retain their copyright?