Copyright Headaches, or What Is An Ephemerist To Do?

[Gary Roberts]

Just to start the marble rolling (don't worry, it's a modern marble and not yet collectible. I think?)

Checking Book Copyright at the US Copyright Office

The Stanford University Copyright & Fair Use site (one of the very best)

Dutch copyright law

World Intellectual Property Organization

The Fair(y) Use Tale

CoOL on Copyright and Intellectual Property

Remedies

[Valerie MacEwan]

Darn, I was just gonna' start a copyright thread. Now I'll just copy yours.

If you're going to copy, please duplicate the works of geniuses.

[Frank DeFreitas]

Thanks for the links Gary. The Fair(y) Use Tale was entertaining for a Saturday night at home.

[Gejus van Diggele]

The picture you added is small but I know it by heart. I do not know why you added it here, but in relation to the subject of copyright, it is of important relevance. Probably more that you could expect. Illustrator is C.A. Coolidge (American artist Cassius Marcellus Coolidge, 1844 - ca. 1934) who was well-known for his art work of animals in human situations. This picture was first published in 1914, but in The Netherlands it became very popular during the 2. World War. The story behind this fact is extremely facinating and interesting.

We will never know who it was, but some Dutchman or woman must have thought the illustration was a political statement against the Germans occupying our country at the time (May 10, 1940 - May 5, 1945). However the picture was published about 25 years before the war, the Dutch recognized the card playing dogs as the actual war leaders. The dog with cigar, front left, was recognized as Winston Churchill, British Minister of War, who is always pictured with a fine cigar. As you can see, W.C. under the table receives an important Ace from a dog recognized as U.S. President Teddy Roosevelt. Of course the silly looking German shepperd, not aware of what is happening under the table, is Adolf Hitler, with Italian dictator Mussolini next to him. Other dogs at the table are recognized as Russian leader Stalin and French general De Gaullle, who lead the 'free' South part of France not occupied by Germany.

Purely by coincidence in 1914 C.A. Coolidge painted the lamp over the table orange, the typical color of the royal Dutch queen, who's family name is Oranje (Orange). Even mysterious is, that the clock in the corner gives exactly the time of the beginning of the German bombardement of Dutch harbor city Rotterdam, on May 14, 1940. And if one has so much imagination to make this story up, it is only a small brain step to see the symbolic value of the painting on the wall: help for the Dutch had to come from overseas,

I know of two versions of a long rhyme, rather amateuristic, that tell the political story of this picture. These rhymes, done on a type writer with many layers of carbon to copy the text, were distibuted by the Dutch underground resistance. Due to the rhymes, in my country C.A. Coolidge creation became a symbol of anti German propaganda. The picture has been copied in high volumes, often poorly printed by lack of ink and good quality paper, and was sold as wall decoration as well as jig-saw puzzle.

Of course the Germans controling The Netherlands could not forbid the picture created in 1914, but distributing and owning the rhyme was illegal and could be punished by deportation to one of the German prison camps.

On November 19, 1943 the magazine of the German SS published an ironic article on the subject: the Dutch were stupid to keep their faith based on such a childish picture of dogs playing cards. The author wished the people in Holland "pleasant dreams!". The Germans however could rely on 'hard facts' like a great army of modern and highly efficient weapons, and well-trained soldiers. End of quote.

C.A. Coolidge must have been a genius to foresee Dutch history in his illustration, so you are very right about duplication.

[Frank DeFreitas]

That is an incredible story, Gejus.

[Valerie MacEwan]

Phenomenal bit of information. And here I posted it just because it is so frequently copied and the discussion is copyrights. You are a walking encyclopedia (or perhaps sitting, eh?). Your explanation is so fascinating, I can't wait to share it with a friend of mine who teaches history.

-val