On Friday, December 29, 2000, maryann <[email protected]> wrote: > Who owns the copyright to pictures and letters of the mid 1920's thru > the 1970's? The authors thereof, or their estates (if extant), or their heirs (if inherited). > I am in possession of many pictures and family letters - literally > hundreds of them. The letters were written by my parents, > grandparents and several aunts and uncles. Most were written by my > mother. All writers are deceased. > > Some of the letters were given to me by parents at different times > before they died. Others were in the house when Mom died. Dad died > before her. The pictures were, for the most part, given to me by my > parents before their death. > > I was the administrator of Mom's estate. None of the other heirs > wanted the letters. I was pleased to have them. Each heir took the > usual things from the house after Mom died - some furniture, dishes, > an old truck and etc. > > .... > > My question is: who owns the copyright on the letters and the > pictures. I believe I own the letters since some were given to me and > others were inherited - but do I own the copyright? No matter who owns the copyright, the physical items are yours, as you inherited them from the previous owners. If the letters' and pictures' previous owners are also their authors, I would say that you also inherited the copyright. Usually this isn't something people pay attention to if the item hasn't been income-earning, but potentially you could own the pictures but not the copyright, if it is divied up that way by the administrator. Being the administrator, you are in the catbird's seat to say that you also inherited the copyright, if appropriate. S R C A cott obert ranston nderson [email protected]