IP before IP

Reviews / Votes

'This is a fascinating book that takes its reader on a voyage of discovery around several historical vignettes that illustrate the prehistory of various types of intellectual property, addressing a topic that I do not think has ever before been the subject of so extensive a treatment. It shows how these episodes bear on the subject today and widens our horizons in thinking about it. But the book is certainly not just for the intellectual property enthusiast - the stories that it weaves will intrigue any enquiring reader.' -- Trevor Cook, Bird & Bird, UK 'In a series of readable and insightful essays, intellectual property lawyer Neil Wilkof takes the reader on a voyage of exploration to different sites of intellectual and creative production in times before the advent of modern intellectual property law. Like an experienced tour-guide, the author leaves his fellow adventurers to contemplate, admire and reflect.' -- Lionel Bently K.C. (hon.), University of Cambridge, UK 'Neil Wilkof has created an exceptional treatise dealing with the historical development of protection for original creations, explaining in fascinating detail how creative and inventive works were treated before the advent of statutory protection, with richly detailed comprehensive accounts describing political, cultural, and religious issues facing pre-modern creators.' -- Daniel Bereskin, C.M., K.C, Smart & Biggar LP, Canada 'Neil Wilkof's fascinating book is about intellectual property avant la lettre. It discusses the art history and cultural circumstances that form the background of what would later become the subject of copyright, trademarks or patents, and it leads the reader back to culture and art, which law is also part of.' -- Andreas Rahmatian, University of Glasgow, UK