£750
Rare Books, Manuscripts, Maps & Photographs ft. the Library of the Late William St Clair | 683
Auction: 2 February 2022 at 10:00 GMT
upon the Question of Literary Property, in the cause of John Hinton of London, Bookseller, Pursuer; against Alexander Donaldson and John Wood, Booksellers in Edinburgh and James Meurose, Bookseller in Kilmarnock, Defenders. Published by James Boswell, Esq., Advocate. Edinburgh: for James Donaldson, Alexander Donaldson, 1774. First edition, 4to, pp. [2], iv, 37; with an additional leaf, in the form of a printed letter from John Robertson requesting information on printing, bookselling, paper-making and bookbinding, with a manuscript note initialled J.R. regarding the same issue stuck on to the verso of p.37, with an extract on "Law" bound in at end, with a printed note dated Edinburgh March 9th 1774 regarding the Petition to be presented to the House of Commons stuck to front endpaper, and manuscript note to front endpaper of the costs of the process amounting to £119-16-6, each defender payed £38, contemporary half calf, worn, covers detached, some spotting
Note: On 22nd February 1774 the House of Lords reversed the Chancery decree against the Donaldsons. The Statute of Anne was thereby upheld, and perpetual copyright under common law ruled out. This allowed reprinting throughout Britain.