Question about appraisal resources - 1820s travel journal

Greetings! I inherited what I believe is a fair copy of a handwritten
travel journal written sometime in the 1820s. I suspect it's a fair
copy because there isn't a single misspelling, smear, food stain, or
anything else that would indicate that it was written while traveling.
Of course, the author (C.R. Cotton is inscribed inside) may have been
very careful while writing. If it is a fair copy, then it's possible
that two different people contributed to it, because one part of the
book appears to be in a distinctly different handwriting.

The book has some illustrations, both prints that are glued inside
cut-out pages and also what appear to be original watercolors, mostly of
landscapes.

The journal details two trips, one from Leeds, England to Scotland, and
then to London starting in 1820; and the other from Scarborough to the
Lakes in the Autumn of 1821. There are ledger-type entries showing how
much distance was covered each day of travel, where they stayed, and
also detailed the expensed incurred during the trips.

I have photographed each page, and was thinking about setting up a
website with the text and images from the journal. Does anybody think
there would be any interest in this? It seems a shame not to share it.
I'd probably have to round up a little help translating some of the
currency descriptions.

Also, can anybody recommend any resources who might be able to appraise
this book?

Greetings! I inherited what I believe is a fair copy of a handwritten travel journal written sometime in the 1820s. I suspect it's a fair copy because there isn't a single misspelling, smear, food stain, or anything else that would indicate that it was written while traveling. Of course, the author (C.R. Cotton is inscribed inside) may have been very careful while writing. If it is a fair copy, then it's possible that two different people contributed to it, because one part of the book appears to be in a distinctly different handwriting.

The book has some illustrations, both prints that are glued inside cut-out pages and also what appear to be original watercolors, mostly of landscapes.

The journal details two trips, one from Leeds, England to Scotland, and then to London starting in 1820; and the other from Scarborough to the Lakes in the Autumn of 1821. There are ledger-type entries showing how much distance was covered each day of travel, where they stayed, and also detailed the expensed incurred during the trips.

I have photographed each page, and was thinking about setting up a website with the text and images from the journal. Does anybody think there would be any interest in this? It seems a shame not to share it. I'd probably have to round up a little help translating some of the currency descriptions.

Also, can anybody recommend any resources who might be able to appraise this book?

All I can say is, sounds interesting. I'd browse your Web site, if
you ever get around to scanning the pages. Since it's unpublished,
it is probably still under copyright, and since you own the book,
I guess you'd own the copyright. Maybe some legal mind can confirm
this surmise?

Dan Jones wrote:

Also, can anybody recommend any resources who might be able to appraise
this book?

Consult the list of booksellers at abaa.org (Antiquarian Booksellers
Association of America), where you can find dealers who specialize in
travel literature.


--Jon Meyers
(Helpful Advice Our Speciality--Available for Search Parties)

Thanks, Al. I'll post a message with a URL when I get started.

Dan

Al Smith wrote:
Greetings! I inherited what I believe is a fair copy of a handwritten
travel journal written sometime in the 1820s. I suspect it's a fair
copy because there isn't a single misspelling, smear, food stain, or
anything else that would indicate that it was written while traveling.
Of course, the author (C.R. Cotton is inscribed inside) may have been
very careful while writing. If it is a fair copy, then it's possible
that two different people contributed to it, because one part of the
book appears to be in a distinctly different handwriting.

The book has some illustrations, both prints that are glued inside
cut-out pages and also what appear to be original watercolors, mostly
of landscapes.

The journal details two trips, one from Leeds, England to Scotland,
and then to London starting in 1820; and the other from Scarborough to
the Lakes in the Autumn of 1821. There are ledger-type entries
showing how much distance was covered each day of travel, where they
stayed, and also detailed the expensed incurred during the trips.

I have photographed each page, and was thinking about setting up a
website with the text and images from the journal. Does anybody think
there would be any interest in this? It seems a shame not to share
it. I'd probably have to round up a little help translating some of
the currency descriptions.

Also, can anybody recommend any resources who might be able to
appraise this book?


All I can say is, sounds interesting. I'd browse your Web site, if you
ever get around to scanning the pages. Since it's unpublished, it is
probably still under copyright, and since you own the book, I guess
you'd own the copyright. Maybe some legal mind can confirm this surmise?

Thank you, Jon. I'll give that a try.

Dan


Jon Meyers wrote:

Consult the list of booksellers at abaa.org (Antiquarian Booksellers
Association of America), where you can find dealers who specialize in
travel literature.


--Jon Meyers
(Helpful Advice Our Speciality--Available for Search Parties)

I inherited what I believe is a fair copy of a handwritten travel
journal written sometime in the 1820s. [...]
The book has some illustrations, both prints that are glued inside
cut-out pages and also what appear to be original watercolors, mostly
of landscapes.
The journal details two trips, one from Leeds, England to Scotland,
and then to London starting in 1820; and the other from Scarborough
to the Lakes in the Autumn of 1821.

We sold a similar fair copy of a travel journal - no illustrations but
an unusually interesting story - to the National Library of Scotland
for 50 quid. (Acc.12461 in
http://www.nls.uk/catalogues/online/...v_jan_2005.pdf ).

Of course your journal will arouse a bit more interest if the traveller
dropped in on Wordsworth.


Since it's unpublished, it is probably still under copyright, and
since you own the book, I guess you'd own the copyright.

More like, since he inherited the book he probably inherited the rights
at the same time. The two don't necessarily go together.

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/ for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

"Al Smith" wrote in message
news .. Since it's unpublished,
it is probably still under copyright, and since you own the book,
I guess you'd own the copyright. Maybe some legal mind can confirm
this surmise?


In the U.K at least, Copyright on literary work originates on the date
of creation, and expires 70 years after the death of the author. In
this instance, this being assumed to be C.R.Cotton. Where the author is
unknown it would expire either 70 years after the creation of the work,
or as you suggest, 70 years after first publication. Quite how this is
decided in particular instances I'm not certain.

http://www.sussex.ac.uk/records/1-2-1.html

michael adams

....

Al Smith wrote:

Since it's unpublished,
it is probably still under copyright, and since you own the book,
I guess you'd own the copyright. Maybe some legal mind can confirm
this surmise?


Wrong on both counts:

(1) In the U.S., copyright in unpublished works lasts only for the life
of the author + 70 years, or 120 years from the date of creation for
anonymous or pseudonymous works. In either case, a travel journal from
the 1820s is clearly in the public domain.

(2) Copyright does not inhere in a manuscript (or any work) but rather
in the author and his estate or their transferees. The sale or other
transfer of a manuscript does not transfer the copyright to the work
unless such rights are passed explicitly. (Of course, for the work in
question here there is no copyright--it is in the public domain.)

William M. Klimon
http://www.gateofbliss.com

Since it's unpublished,
it is probably still under copyright, and since you own the book,
I guess you'd own the copyright. Maybe some legal mind can confirm
this surmise?
Wrong on both counts:
(1) In the U.S., copyright in unpublished works lasts only for the life
of the author + 70 years, or 120 years from the date of creation for
anonymous or pseudonymous works. In either case, a travel journal from
the 1820s is clearly in the public domain.
(2) Copyright does not inhere in a manuscript (or any work) but rather
in the author and his estate or their transferees. The sale or other
transfer of a manuscript does not transfer the copyright to the work
unless such rights are passed explicitly. (Of course, for the work in
question here there is no copyright--it is in the public domain.)

The original poster was in the UK, where (2) holds but (1) does not.
If it's unpublished it is NOT in the public domain.

============== j-c ====== @ ====== purr . demon . co . uk ==============
Jack Campin: 11 Third St, Newtongrange EH22 4PU, Scotland | tel 0131 660 4760
http://www.purr.demon.co.uk/jack/ for CD-ROMs and free | fax 0870 0554 975
stuff: Scottish music, food intolerance, & Mac logic fonts | mob 07800 739 557

"Jack Campin - bogus address" wrote in message
...


Since it's unpublished,
it is probably still under copyright, and since you own the book,
I guess you'd own the copyright. Maybe some legal mind can confirm
this surmise?
Wrong on both counts:
(1) In the U.S., copyright in unpublished works lasts only for the life
of the author + 70 years, or 120 years from the date of creation for
anonymous or pseudonymous works. In either case, a travel journal from
the 1820s is clearly in the public domain.
(2) Copyright does not inhere in a manuscript (or any work) but rather
in the author and his estate or their transferees. The sale or other
transfer of a manuscript does not transfer the copyright to the work
unless such rights are passed explicitly. (Of course, for the work in
question here there is no copyright--it is in the public domain.)

The original poster was in the UK,


Without evidence to the contrary , the OP's NNTP posting address of
69.207.38.57 would place him in Ithica, New York. While his use of
Roadrunner which is based in Virginia US, would tend to support
that hypothesis.

michael adams


Jack Campin: