One book: ‘A letter to the Vice-President of the Board of Trade on Protection to original designs and patterns, printed upon woven fabrics’ by James Thomson (Clitheroe: H. Whalley, Printer, [1840]). 32 pages plus 15 plates, and a single manuscript sheet laid in. Shelved at R.B. THO THOMSON.
This work is addressed to Mr [Richard] Sheil, Vice President of the Board of Trade. Thomson complains about the inadequacy of copyright protection for designs and in his analysis of the problem states there are “Two classes of calico printers, one of which leads, another which follows; one of which invents, another which pirates. They approximate closer every year in execution; the chief distinction of the foremost class, is in novelty of styles and good taste in designs.” He goes on to differentiate original design (the pattern), which may be subject to copyright, from style, where variations may exist in the colour or the form and which may evade copyright. He argues that copyright should also cover styles and for it to last 12 months, thus placing all in the trade on equal footing, establishing “honourable competition" and enabling schools of design to flourish. The work is illustrated with engraved plates, valuable as visual records of printed calico designs but also demonstrative of how copyright limitations enabled exploitation and profit by others. This copy has a unique 18th century manuscript recipe inserted, for printing linen for making paint in various colours and instructions for how to use the paint for stamping designs on cloth.
Details
- Category:
- Printed Books
- Object Number:
- 2021-1625
- Materials:
- paper (fibre product), cardboard and ink
- Measurements:
-
overall: 228 mm x 146 mm x 12 mm,
- type:
- letter - correspondence