Old Postcards and Archive Images

[John Walker]

I would like some guidance on using old postcards for archive.

I have a number of original old postcards which have no names etc on.  I would guess pre-1950.  They are of interest in so much as

the places/streets no longer exist or have undergone massive changes.

 

A reverse image search and Tin Eye don't bring any other copies up.

 

Regards

John

[spacecadet]

You're taking a chance in terms of copyright, assuming the publishers no longer exist.

You can't actually answer "yes" to the contract term which asks if you own the rights.

[John Walker]

Thanks spacecadet - I've seen a number of images showing old prints on Alamy and wondered if the same rules applied as for postcards etc.

[Ed Rooney]

The trouble is, John, we can't take what other contributors do as a guide to what's correct or legal. Many contributors bend and break the rules. (I'm in tune with your quest for new subject matter, however.)

[John Walker]

Thanks Ed

 

I have a reasonable stock of my own 35mm and medium format images from the 70s.  Unfortunately, only a fraction of it got to the print stage.

 

I'll trawl through my printed work and upload that.  Working from the hundreds of negatives will be a different challenge altogether.

 

I was hoping that in the meantime I could also add some of my old postcard images but I'll hold fore on that.

 

Cheers

 

ps.  If anyone is interested, my first 4 archive images are up now - monochrome images of the industrial town of Bolton in the 70s.  Those

views don't exist now.

[Peter Stone]

I have a biggish collection of old postcards and other historical publications which are mostly more than 100 years old, so are out of copyright as far as the publisher is concerned. However, I don't assume they're no longer subject to copyright since the photographers who took the images may have died less than 70 years ago. I also have some very old encyclopedias with marvellous illlustrations but I've not used any of them as not only might the artists have died within the last 70 years but one also needs to consider the date of death of every single contributing editor.

 

This is my understanding of the law on copyright - that 70 years must elapse from the death of the last person involved - not just 70 years from publication.

 

It's a minefield and I'd rather be safe than sorry. If anyone has a better understanding of copyright and can point out where I am wrong, please go ahead. I am sometimes unhappy at saying whether or not an image needs a property release as I think such a declaration is beyond the competence of most photographers - well, this one anyway.