Engraving Copyright Act 1734
| Jurisdiction | UK Non-devolved |
| Citation | 1734 c. 13 |
| Year | 1734 |
(8 Geo. 2) C A P. XIII.
'WHEREAS divers Persons have by their own Genius, Industry, Pains and Expence, invented and engraved, or worked inMezzotinto or Chiaro Oscuro , Sets of Historical and other Prints, in Hopes to have reaped the sole Benefit of their Labours: And whereas Print-sellers and other Persons have of late, without the Consent of the Inventors, Designers and Proprietors of such Prints, frequently taken the Liberty of copying, engraving and publishing, or causing to be copied, engraved and published, base Copies of such Works, Designs and Prints, to the very great Prejudice and Detriment of the Inventors, Designers and Proprietors thereof;' For Remedy thereof, and for preventing such Practices for the future, may it please your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the King's most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the twenty-fourth Day ofJune which shall be in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and thirty-five, every Person who shall invent and design, engrave, etch or work in Mezzotinto or Chiaro Oscuro , or from his own Works and Invention shall cause to be designed and engraved, etched or worked in Mezzotinto or Chiaro Oscuro , any Historical or other Print or Prints, shall have the sole Right and Liberty of printing and reprinting the same for the Term of fourteen Years, to commence from the Day of the first publishing thereof, which shall be truly engraved with the Name of the Proprietor on each Plate, and printed on every such Print or Prints; and that if any Print-seller or other Person whatsoever, from and after the said twenty-fourth Day ofJune one thousand seven hundred and thirty-five, within the Time limited by this Act, shall engrave, etch or work as aforesaid, or in any other Mannercopy and sell, or cause to be engraved, etched, or copied and sold, in the Whole or in Part, by varying, adding to or diminishing from the main Design, or shall print, reprint or import for Sale, or cause to be printed, reprinted or imported for Sale, any such Print or Prints, or any Parts thereof, without the Consent of the...
To continue reading
Request your trial