# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Venetian Statute on Industrial Brevets, Venice (1474)

Source: Scanned from the manuscript held in the Venetian State Archives: ASV, Senato Terra, reg. 7, c. 32r.

Citation:
Venetian Statute on Industrial Brevets, Venice (1474), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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1 translated page
Chapter 1 Page 1

1474, 19 March

There are men in this city, and also there come other persons every day from different
places by reason of its greatness and goodness, who have most clever minds, capable
of devising and inventing all kinds of ingenious contrivances. And should it be
legislated that the works and contrivances invented by them could not be copied and
made by others so that they are deprived of their honour, men of such kind would
exert their minds, invent and make things that would be of no small utility and benefit
to our State. Therefore, the decision has been made that, by authority of this Council,
any person in this city who makes any new and ingenious contrivances not made
heretofore in our Dominion, shall, as soon as it is perfected so that it can be used and
exercised, give notice of the same to the office of our Provveditori di Comun, having
been forbidden up to ten years to any other person in any territory and place of ours to
make a contrivance in the form and resemblance of that one without the consent and
license of the author. And if nevertheless someone should make it, the aforesaid
author and inventor will have the liberty to cite him before any office of this city,
which office will force the aforesaid infringer to pay him the sum of one hundred
ducats and immediately destroy the contrivance. But our Government will be free, at
its complete discretion, to take and use for its needs any of the said contrivances and
instruments, with this condition, however, that no one other than the authors shall
operate them.

In favour _____ 116 non sincere _____ 3
Against _____ 10


Left margin: The wisest Councillors CX
Ser Andreus Correr(?) mil.o
Ser Ludouicus Fulctro doctor
Ser Paulus Anauzoceno
Ser Bernardii Fustrin mil.o
Ser Vitalo Lando doct mil.o

Heads of the Terra Ferma
Ser Antonio de Priolus
Ser Lodouicus Falctro
Ser Zachar Barbaro mil.o
Ser Benedictus Triuisano.






Translation by: Joanna Kostylo

    

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