Copyright registrations for 1950

Selected copyright registrations from 1950 are available from this page. Original registrations were classified by category, but but renewals for all categories except music were listed in a single, separate volume.

The following types of records are available here:

A guide to abbreviations used in the records is now available, as are more detailed statistics by category.

1950 original copyrights were due to be renewed in 1977 and 1978. Original copyrights for 1950 renewals date from 1922 and 1923. All 1922 copyrights have expired, even if they were renewed. 1923 copyrights could also be renewed in 1951.

Not yet available online are original registrations for periodicals, artwork, commercial prints, and unpublished music; and renewals for music. Please let us know if you have or find any of these online.

Books and Contributions to periodicals: Original registrations

We currently list the original registration volumes for Part 1A (Books) and Part 1B (Pamphlets, Serials, and Contributions to Periodicals). These were published semiannually. Renewals for these categories can be found in the Renewals section below.

Drama: Original registrations

The volumes for Parts 3-4 (Drama and Works Prepared for Oral Delivery) were published semiannually. In 1950, these volumes only contained original registrations; renewals for drama can be found in the Renewals section below.

Music

We currently list the original volumes for Part 5A (Published Music) for 1950. This does not include unpublished music, nor does it include renewals. Please let us know if you find volumes for any of these.

Maps: Original registrations

The volumes for part 6 (Maps and Atlases) were published semiannually. In 1950, these volumes only contained original registrations; renewals for maps can be found in the Renewals section below.

Motion pictures and filmstrips: Original registrations and renewals

The volumes for Parts 12 and 13 (Motion Pictures and Filmstrips) were published semiannually, and included both original and renewal registrations. Most of the renewal registrations also appeared in the Renewals volumes below.

Renewals

Part 14A, a general renewal volume was published in 1950, for all classes of works other than music.

Philip Harper has now transcribed the renewal records for 1923 copyrights into textual form. You can find them at this site.

The Motion Pictures and Filmstrips volumes above also contained renewals. Most of those renewals were also included in the volumes below; however, some late renewal registrations might only appear in the volumes above.

The following page images are available (all GIFs):

The images above were scanned by Google and by John Mark Ockerbloom. If you would like to contribute better copies, or registrations that we don't yet list for 1951, email onlinebooks@pobox.upenn.edu. (Please don't send any files by email unless I ask for them!)