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[gretemike]

A British soldier in WWII named J.O.E. Vandeleur wrote a book called A Soldier's Story and had it privately published in 1967 by a now non-existent British company called Gale & Polden.  It's a rare book, apparently not too many ever printed.  If you've ever seen the movie A Bridge Too Far from the 1970s, Vandeleur was portrayed by Michael Caine in that film.  The book deals in part with that battle.  Vandeleur and his wife died without children.

So my question is, how do I go about finding out whether or not I can make copies of this rare book and distribute them, and from whom permission is required if it is required?

[JSonnabend]

Copyright clearance is probably the hardest task in all of the IP world.  You can start by seeing if any copyrights were registered, and if so, if any assignments were recorded.  After that, it comes down to tracking down whatever heirs might exist.

- Jeff

[xyzzy]

There is a neat-o "Is it Protected by Copyright" tool for US works here:

http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/

Not useful for your particular problem, since yours isn't a US work, but I thought I'd share anyway.

[JSonnabend]

There is a neat-o "Is it Protected by Copyright" tool for US works here:

http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/

Not useful for your particular problem, since yours isn't a US work, but I thought I'd share anyway.

There is nothing in the original post that indicates the work is "non U.S.," only that the work was written by a Brit and published by a Brit company.  Furthermore, there is nothing to indicate that the British company did not publish in the U.S. or otherwise claim U.S. copyrights.  The question is, how does one clear rights to a work when the author and publisher are no longer in existence?  (The question of copyright marking is relevant, however, and that is something that should be reviewed.)

[xyzzy]

There is nothing in the original post that indicates the work is "non U.S.," only that the work was written by a Brit and published by a Brit company.  Furthermore, there is nothing to indicate that the British company did not publish in the U.S. or otherwise claim U.S. copyrights. 

You're right, of course, I was just (improperly) making an assumption.  My only point was that the copyright slider thingy is cool.

[artchain]

There is a neat-o "Is it Protected by Copyright" tool for US works here:

http://librarycopyright.net/digitalslider/

Not useful for your particular problem, since yours isn't a US work, but I thought I'd share anyway.

That is a neat tool.  I usually refer people to this page as a reference:

http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm

But a like the presentation of your slider

[JSonnabend]

That is a neat tool.  I usually refer people to this page as a reference:

http://copyright.cornell.edu/resources/publicdomain.cfm

But a like the presentation of your slider

The Cornell page is the one I use myself.

- Jeff

[gretemike]

The British Copyright Office:

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types/copy/c-other/c-locating.htm

You're right, it's a matter of searching for whomever owns the copyright.  I gather it expires 70 years after Joe Vandeleur's death (not sure when that was, but I don't plan on living that long myself).

I've wanted that book since 1989 when I lived in the area of Joe's Bridge in Neerpelt (where the battle for Arnhem Bridge originated) and met some of the vets during a reunion.  I'd love to make it freely available now that I have a copy and it has occurred to me that perhaps nobody will care if I do so.  But, as the website above states, the copyright applies automatically, and somebody is/was Joe's heir.  So I'll poke around and see what I come up with.  Thanks for your help folks.

[freddyback]

you are right any copyright expires 70 years after the death of the author even in Europe ! have a look in the gutenberg project :  http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page
if you can find your book.