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Legal Issues
Making products from vintage magazine photos
How do I find information about using vintage photos from magazine to make products such as coin purses or hats?

Asked by Jetwaychick
Posted: Friday, September 26, 2008  |  Found in Legal Issues


More answers by Nina Kaufman
Answer by Nina Kaufman
Using vintage photos can be a rich source of designs for your products, as anyone is free to use photos that have passed into the public domain.

However, determining whether certain photos are in the "public domain" is not as straightforward as you might think. It depends when the photo was originally published, where it was published and whether the copyright holders properly renewed the copyright rights when the terms came up for renewal.

It is possible that the magazines may still be entitled to the copyright rights on the photos, in which case you would need permission from the magazine to use them. Best to speak to an intellectual property to map out your strategy for using them.
Nina Kaufman has a New York City-based boutique law practice and is president of Wise Counsel Press LLC, which produces legal information products for entrepreneurs. She writes the Making It Legal blog and the Business Law Advisor column for WomenEntrepreneur.com.

Note: This response is for your general information only. Be sure to consult with an attorney regarding your particular situation to get the advice you need.



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