Theos-Talk Archives (November 2006 Message tt00162)

Re:  BCW Offline
  
   I made a typo in this post.  Boris de Zirkoff 
independently published the first 6 
volumes (not 4) of the _Blavatsky Collected 
Writings,_ ("Blavatsky Writings Publications 
Fund," Los Angeles, California) with 
his own work copyrighted by himself - 
which TPH then took over.  He didn't 
or couldn't try to copyright Blavatsky's 
articles, only his own work.  What I'd 
like to know is the status of Boris's 
copyright on his commentary & compilation
in the first 6 volumes (he had no 
children or wife, etc.)  Is it now public 
domain and does Quest admit it? (A US 
copyright has to be renewed every 37 
years.) Dara Eklund took over his work 
and archives - which archives ended 
up at Wheaton; (What is the status 
copyright-wise of Boris's work in the 
last 9 volumes, and Eklund's?)  WHAT 
COPYRIGHT DOES QUEST ACTUALLY HAVE, 
AND WHAT IS JUST BLUSTER?  IT SEEMS TO 
ME THAT THE FIRST 6 VOLUMES OF BCW 
IS DEFINITELY IN PUBLIC DOMAIN, AS THEY 
WERE INDEPENDENTLY PUBLISHED (from 
the same plates) BY BORIS AND HE HAD 
THE COPYRIGHT (which was probably never 
renewed anyway.) Irregardless, they 
ought to be made public domain.  
Any answers?  It would be nice to see 
these on the net without any hassle.
  
Previous post:
  
The HPB Collected Writings website has been 
removed from this site due to Quest not 
allowing this
  
For more informsation please contact me, see 
Ton den Hartog
  
Letter from Quest to Hartog:
  
Ton den Hartog
... can in no way be interpreted as authorizing 
you to place the Collected Writings on line. In 
fact the entire set is in print and is 
advertised both in our Catalogue and on the 
Quest Books website. Your act is clearly in 
violation of our copyrights and as a 
consequence the Collected Writings must be 
removed from your website immediately. I await 
confirmation that this action has been taken. 
Thanks, 
David H. Bland, Ed. D. 
Business Manager, Quest Books 
 
 
SOME INFO ON BCW:
 
......up to Vol. IV, de Zirkoff originally 
had them published by "Blavatsky Writings 
Publications Fund," Los Angeles, California.  
My Vol. VI of 1954, has "Copyright 1954 
by Boris de Zirkoff."  It is identical to 
the TPH Collected Writings, who obviously 
took the project over and used the same 
plates.  They include this "Copyright by 
Boris de Zirkoff" Vol. I through Vol VI 
even in the current "second edition" 
published by TPH.  The copyright notice 
further reads: 
   
 "Copyright in this volume includes the 
Preface, Chronological Survey, Bibliographies, 
Editorial Comments, Notes, Summaries and 
Footnotes signed by the Compiler, the 
arrangement of individual articles and 
English translation of original French material."
 
         I guess he didn't feel he had 
the right to include the articles he 
collected in the copyright, as they were 
HP Blavatsky's and all now at least 
115 years old!  Nobody can have the 
copyright on them.  They are in the public 
domain.  (In the US, everything published 
before 1923 is in the public domain.  
Other countries are more liberal.) Boris 
had no children, and no heirs, so his 
material should be in public domain 
also.  Boris's BCW really is the most 
valuable Theosophical Literature, beyond 
the SD, Isis, and MLs, and other HPB books.
 
 
                 - jake j.
  --------------------
  
 

 
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