12 replies to this topic

[MJ_]

I'm sure this conversation may exist in another place somewhere but was not able to easily lay my eyes on it. 

I know that the Moffatt New Testament is a public domain work and has been for a number of years. 

I was wondering if anyone had the particulars on when the old testament translated by Moffatt would become a public domain work? 

 

I had recently read somewhere that the copyright was renewed sometime in the forties but I cannot confirm and do not know how to verify that information. 

 

Any help on this, very much appreciated!

 

God bless,

 

MJ

 

 

[modulist]

Hi,

 

First, my disclaimer: I am not a legal expert at all. But this is what I found doing a quick search.

 

I found the Moffatt Old Testament (or half of it) on archive.org here:

 

https://archive.org/...t-1925/mode/2up

 

According to this page, it is public domain and was published in 1925. According to Wikipedia, all works published in the US before January 1, 1928 are in the public domain (in the US), so it would seem that the Moffatt OT is indeed in the public domain already.

[MJ_]

This does sound familiar now that you say this. I have a copy of Moffatt with some bits of Job in it. I'll check in the am on the main computer and see just how much of it is there.

For private use I don't believe that there would be any issue to use this but based on the rumor of a possible copyright holder I wouldn't circulate except as one would amongst close friends.

Do you know if there is a copy in Esword format containing this old testament material?

I could possibly put a script together to parse this old testament text into an rtf for use with Brent's tooltips.

[modulist]

I don't know of any e-Sword version of Moffat's OT kicking around, just the NT.

[APsit190]

I don't know of any e-Sword version of Moffat's OT kicking around, just the NT.

The Moffat Bible was just the New Testament, and as far as I am aware he, Moffat that is, never produced a complete Bible.

 

Blessings,

Stephen (Php 1:21).

[MJ_]

The Moffat Bible was just the New Testament, and as far as I am aware he, Moffat that is, never produced a complete Bible.

 

Blessings,

Stephen (Php 1:21).

I do have several copies and they are complete. 

 

Kind regards.

MJ

[MJ_]

I don't know of any e-Sword version of Moffat's OT kicking around, just the NT.

I do have a copy of it that I've reduced to the .rtf format. However the old testament is only bits of several books. For example it includes sections of Job 10, some verses from Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Daniel and some others I believe. 

It appears someone was adding in verses as needed for their personal bible study. 

 

 

I believe that I can make a copy that contains whatever is available at this link: 

 

https://archive.org/...t-1925/mode/2up

 

however, the correction of OCR misses on characters would be rather time consuming but would not be completely necessary as they would be fairly obvious. 

 

if anyone would like to have a copy of the rough draft, as it were, of this old testament work in rtf format I'm glad to put some effort into it and generate one as a gift to my brothers in Christ. 

 

Kind regards,

 

MJ

[MJ_]

Hi,

 

First, my disclaimer: I am not a legal expert at all. But this is what I found doing a quick search.

 

I found the Moffatt Old Testament (or half of it) on archive.org here:

 

https://archive.org/...t-1925/mode/2up

 

According to this page, it is public domain and was published in 1925. According to Wikipedia, all works published in the US before January 1, 1928 are in the public domain (in the US), so it would seem that the Moffatt OT is indeed in the public domain already.

The paper copy of the complete Moffatt that I own is dated 1926 and appears to be just that old based on the binding and both the fragility and the color of the pages. 

It's a wonderful work. 

I'm sure there is a thread here where I participated in a discussion on the copyrights but I've yet to locate it. I believe that conversation would have been approximately 10 years ago.

it does present some compilation challenges as the Moffatt took great liberty in rearranging portions of chapters  and even relocating entire chapters at times. 

His rendition in certain sections often offers additional insight and clarity to verses of importance. 

[APsit190]

The paper copy of the complete Moffatt that I own is dated 1926 and appears to be just that old based on the binding and both the fragility and the color of the pages. 

It's a wonderful work. 

I'm sure there is a thread here where I participated in a discussion on the copyrights but I've yet to locate it. I believe that conversation would have been approximately 10 years ago.

it does present some compilation challenges as the Moffatt took great liberty in rearranging portions of chapters  and even relocating entire chapters at times. 

His rendition in certain sections often offers additional insight and clarity to verses of importance. 

As far as I am aware, the Moffat Bible is in the public domain.

 

Depending on the country you are in, Like here in NZ, the copyright has well and truly done its dash. In the US, I think it's also done its dash. Your copy you have is a 1926 edition. Well that's pretty much close to 100 years, and it hasn't been renewed. So I would say that the copyright is well and truly totally stuffed, as in munted.

[modulist]

As far as I am aware, the Moffat Bible is in the public domain.

 

Depending on the country you are in, Like here in NZ, the copyright has well and truly done its dash. In the US, I think it's also done its dash. Your copy you have is a 1926 edition. Well that's pretty much close to 100 years, and it hasn't been renewed. So I would say that the copyright is well and truly totally stuffed, as in munted.

 

I would agree. I think we can safely say that this is in the public domain now, although it appears that it came into the public domain in the US just a few years ago, so yes, 10 years ago it would not have been in the public domain in the US.

 

Here in Canada, it would have been in the public domain a couple of decades ago because Moffatt died in 1944. Our copyright laws have recently changed to conform to other countries laws (you can thank the new version of NAFTA for that), but anything already in the public domain remains so. Hence, for example, C. S. Lewis' works are public domain here in Canada, but not in the US at this time.

Edited by modulist, 17 February 2023 - 01:58 PM.