# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Amended Book Act of the Batavian Republic, The Hague (1808)

Source: Verzameling van vaderlandsche wetten en besluiten uitgevaardigd sedert 22 Januarij 1798 tot 10 Julij 1810, in zooverre zij ook, sedert de invoering der nieuwe wetgeving in Nederland, middellijk of onmiddellijk van toepassing zijn, J. van de Poll ed., Amsterdam: Bij Johannes Müller, 1840, I, pp. 423-425; Koninklijke Bibliotheek, NL 61 C 2003

Citation:
Amended Book Act of the Batavian Republic, The Hague (1808), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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3 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 1

- 423 -

[...]

With the Act of 3 Dec. 1808, the prohibition of copying, contained in the Official Publication of 3 June 1803, was expanded to include, under the same penal provisions, copperplates, maps and engravings. Regarding this Act, fully applies what we made note of in the aforesaid Official Publication of 3 June (see above p 241-a.o.). For the therein expressed reason, the Act is printed here.

Chapter 1 Page 2

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Act, expanding the Official Publication of 3rd June 1803, concerning the printing and publishing of Books, and prohibition of copying of original Works, etc. Enacted on the 3rd of December 1808.

LOUIS NAPOLEON BONAPARTE, by the grace of God and the Constitution of the Kingdom, King of Holland, Constable of France. The Legislative body having approved the recommendation by Us to that end,
We have decided and decree:
Art. 1. With the expansion of the Official Publication of 3rd June 1803, concerning the printing and publishing of Books, and prohibition of copying of original Works, etc. were laid down the following provisions:
Par. 1. Anyone who, in this Kingdom, on the basis of a drawing, belonging to him as property, or over which he has the full power of disposal, has manufactured, or caused to be manufactured an engraved Copperplate, Portrait, Map, Chart, or River Map, Topographical Illiustrations and the like, will have obtained thereon the same right, as is provided in Art. 2 of the Official Publication of 3rd June 1803, relating to the printing and publishing of books, regarding the Owners of original Works.
Par. 2. The reproduction and publishing of all such engraved Images, as reported in aforesaid Article, in whatever way this should occur, shall be subject to the same penalties as are laid down in Article 3 of said Official Publication of 3rd June 1803 against copying and selling of original works, of which the right of publication is the property of another.
Par. 3. When someone within this Kingdom desires to reproduce the engraving of a Foreign Illustration etc., or desires to engrave an old one anew, he will be obliged to submit himself to the same formalities as laid down in the already reported Official Publication regarding translated Books.
Par. 4. All decisions and provisions made in the aforesaid Official Publication regarding printing and selling of Books or Works are applicable as well to Engravings, of any kind


Chapter 1 Page 3

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or under whatever name they were to be, or are, known.
2. The present decree will be published and entered in the Bulletin of Acts, Orders and Decrees.
3. Our Minister of Justice and Police is responsible for the implementation of this Decree.
Enacted at our Royal Palace, 3rd December of the year 1808, and the third of Our Reign.
LOUIS

The Minister of Justice and Police,
C.P. VAN MAANEN

[...]



Translation by: Miluska Kooij

    

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Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900) is co-published by Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, 10 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DZ, UK and CREATe, School of Law, University of Glasgow, 10 The Square, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK