Were Charles Dickens' Books copyrighted, if so when?

Question

Have a rare collection that were given to my mother-in-law at a young age and the person that gave her was 80 years old at the time. The person was young also, when given. My mother-in-law is now 78 years old

Answer 1

If you are trying to determine value for the books your best bet is to contact a rare book collecter in your area. Generally a used bookstore that has been established for a while and just isn't a pass through for paperback exchange, can help you with this.

Answer 2

Charles Dickens had two primary British publishers: Chapman and Hall and Bradbury and Evans. The former
held copyrights to the earlier novels ( from Pickwick (1836) to A Christmas Carol (1843)) and the latter copyrighted
the novels of Dickens's middle period (1844-1858): from Dombey and Son through Little Dorrit. Dickens returned to Chapman and Hall after 1858. These were copyrighted under British law, which was further advanced by Dickens's friend, the judge Thomas Noon Talfourd (1795-1854). Dickens published his magazine Household Words with Bradbury and Evans (1850-59) and his magazine All the Year Round (from 1859-60) with Chapman and Hall. Dickens's contracts with his publishers made him something like a partner in their business with respect to his own publications.
There was no International Copyright, however. That meant that any company in America could take any of Dickens's novels and reprint and sell them. Some American publishers offered to make arrangements with Dickens as a "courtesy of the trade." However, others simply took and reprinted Dickens's writings. And others freely "adapted" them. There was no copyright at all in America for British novels until about 1892.
Any rare collection of Dickens books may be of some economic value if such things were published in the nineteenth century (ie. during Dickens's lifetime) and by his British publishers. Even if not, they are certainly valuable as keepsakes and have some sentimental significance, especially if they are handed down in your family.
If you'd like further information on Dickens and copyright and his publishers, Professor Robert L. Patten wrote the classic study on this: Dickens and His Publishers, Clarendon Press (Oxford, 1978). Dr. Patten is a very affable and thoughtful man, a sincere educator and an excellent scholar. You may be able to reach him through Rice University in Texas, if you have a specific question.

Answer 3

Charles Dickens's books were not copyrighted at the time, because there was no agreed copyright. However, publishers since that time have produced editions that they have copyrighted. If you want to reproduce your texts, you may be allowed. But ifyou make use of something that was added ata later date, that may be under a modern copyright.