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    Core documents by: Date Place Core documents for: Italy Germany France Britain United States All documents for: Italy Germany France Britain United States Original language: English French German Italian Latin Browse documents by: Person ... by name ... by occupation ... by life dates Place Institution Legislation Case law Browse commentaries by: Person ... by name ... by occupation ... by life dates Place Institution Legislation Case law Browse database by: Key words Editors' login:  | | La Fontaine case, Paris (1761) Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France : Mss. Fr. 22178 n° 16 Citation: La Fontaine case (1761), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org Record Images Commentary Record-ID: f_1761 Full title Decree of the King's Privy Council of State, which declares to be non-valid the objection raised by the booksellers of Paris to the privilege granted by His Majesty to the young ladies de La Fontaine; and which enjoins the Syndic and his adjuncts to register without delay the privileges and licences granted by His Majesty. 14 September 1761. Full title original language Arrest du Conseil d'Etat privé du Roi, Qui déclare nulle l'opposition faite par les Libraires de Paris au privilège accordé par Sa Majesté aux demoiselles de la Fontaine ; & enjoint aux Syndic & Adjoints d'enregistrer sans délai les privilége & permissions accordés par Sa Majesté. Du 14 Septembre 1761. Abstract The famous case of the granddaughters of Jean de La Fontaine was one of the most significant judicial reverses suffered by the Parisian Guild of Booksellers and Printers. At the time of this case, in 1761, almost forty years had passed since the memorandum of the guild's lawyer Louis d'Héricourt, who had proclaimed the author to be the titular holder of a natural property as a result of his creative labour. Denis Diderot would soon write down his famous "Letter on the book trade" in the same spirit. But, most importantly, the provisions of the 1723 Code de la Librairie, regarding the duration of book trade privileges - not to speak of the more precise details on this point introduced in May 1725 - did not always allow for an effective reduction of the monopolies held by the Parisian corporation on the most profitable books, nor did they help very much in healing the rift with the provincial booksellers. Just as in England, the confrontation between the booksellers of the capital and those of the provinces was by that time becoming quite relentless. Somewhat ironically, however, in view of the approach taken by the lawyers of the Parisian guild ever since Héricourt, this judicial defeat resulted from claims raised by the authors themselves, and, in particular, by their heirs: henceforth the unlimited duration of exclusive rights to the benefit of the capital's booksellers, which had been upheld by the quasi-automatic renewals of privileges granted by the king, would seem to be seriously threatened by the author, and likewise by an "inheritance right" vested in the latter's family. The Crébillon case, though it did not run its full course before the law courts, had testified to this development back in 1752, but it was above all the success of the granddaughters of La Fontaine nine years later which would have the most lasting repercussions. Bibliography N/A Related documents in this database Author N/A Publisher Royal Print Location Paris Year 1761 Language French Source Bibliothèque nationale de France : Mss. Fr. 22178 n° 16 Physical description N/A Illustrations tables N/A Persons referred to Aumont (fl.1757-1761) Babuty, François (fl.1714) Barbou, Jean Joseph (fl.1753) Barrois, Théophile (fl.1768-1784) Brocas, Paul-Denis (1724-c.1790) David, Charles (fl.1670-1694) Davidts, R. (fl.1754) Despilly, Jean-Baptiste (fl.1752-1763) Duchesne, Nicolas Bonaventure (1711-1765) Durand, Laurent (1712-1763) Fournier, Pierre Simon (1712-1768) Gibert (fl.1761) Guillin (fl.1773) Humblot (fl.1747-1774) Knapen, André François (c.1728-c.1802) La Fontaine, Jean de (1621-1695) Le Clerc (fl.1770) Louis XV (1710-1774) Nyon, Jean-Luc, Sr. (fl.1722) Prault, Laurent-François (1712-1780) Roussel, M. (fl.1761) Savoye (fl.1759) Taboureau des Réaux (1718-1782) Persons referred to in commentary d'Anville, Jean Baptiste Bourguignon, Sieur (1697-1782) Aumont (fl.1757-1761) Barbin, Claude (c.1628-1698) Crébillon, Prosper Jolyot de (1674-1762) Diderot, Denis (1713-1784) Du Pré, Galliot (fl.1512-1561) Eloy d'Amerval (fl.1455-1508) Fénelon, François de Salignac de la Mothe (1651-1715) Guérin, Hippolyte-Louis (1698-1765) Guérin, Jacques (c.1699-1752) Héricourt, Louis d' (1687-1752) La Fontaine, Jean de (1621-1695) Locke, John (1632-1704) Luneau de Boisjermain, Pierre-Joseph-Francois (1732-1801) Malapert, Frédéric (d.1890) Malesherbes, Chrétien Guillaume de Lamoignon de (1721-1794) Mary I (1516-1558) Milton, John (1608-1674) Roussel, M. (fl.1761) Roux, Jacques (fl.1753) Saint-Priest, Marie-Joseph-Emmanuel de Guignard, Vicomte de (fl.1751-1785) Places referred to Paris Places referred to in commentary England Paris Legislation referred to N/A Legislation referred to in commentary Licensing Act, 1662, 13 & 14 Car.II, c.33 Code de la Librairie 1723 Decree of the King's Council on the duration of privileges (1777) Cases referred to Affaire des Demoiselles de La Fontaine (1761) Cases referred to in commentary Luneau de Boisjermain v. Parisian Guild of Booksellers (1678-1679) Crébillon's case (1749) Affaire des Demoiselles de La Fontaine (1761) Institutions referred to Chambre syndicale des libraires et imprimeurs (Paris) Chancery of France ('Grande Chancellerie') King's Council of State (France) Parisian Guild of Booksellers and Printers Institutions referred to in commentary Académie française King's Council of State (France) Parisian Guild of Booksellers and Printers Stationers' Company Key words duration, prolongation of privileges inheritability monopoly penalties, paid to publisher(s) privileges, French property theory, authors' property registration Responsible editor Frédéric Rideau Copyright status Original document is out of copyright. In so far as these scans are protected by copyright, they are made available on the same terms as translations and commentaries (see home page). | |||||
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| Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, 10 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DZ, UK | |||||||
