Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900)

www.copyrighthistory.org

Identifier: f_1690s

Commentary on the opposition between Parisian and Provincial boosellers (1690s)

Frédéric Rideau

Faculty of Law, University of Poitiers, France

Please cite as:

Rideau, F. (2010) ‘Commentary on the memorandum on the dispute which has arisen between the booksellers of Paris and those of Lyon (1690s)', in Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

1. Full title

2. Abstract

3. References

1. Full title

Memorandum on the dispute which has arisen between the booksellers of Paris and those of Lyon, regarding the privileges and extensions of these which the King grants for the printing of books

2. Abstract

Following the effective destruction of the public domain entailed by the royal decrees and regulations of 1665 and 1686, this anonymous memorandum was one of the first to describe the right of exploitation safeguarded by privileges in terms of a private property. Anticipating in some respects the 1725 apology of the Parisian guild by Louis d'Héricourt, we find this 'mémoire' already then speaking of privileges as a guarantee for the labour invested in the publication of a work - a guarantee which could even become perpetual. The author of the work, on the other hand, was not yet central in any way to the theoretical system advanced by the Parisian booksellers in order to defend their monopolies.

3. References

full commentary in preparation