The sheet music for the song “Yes! We Have No Bananas” by Robert King and James F. Hanley slips out-of-copyright in America at the start of 2019, having been held up for 20 years by the Mickey Mouse Protection Act.

One H.P. Lovecraft once crept (rather naughtily) up to the organ loft of the Providence First Baptist church and tried to play this tune to liven things up a bit. Now it can be played whenever and wherever one spots a handy organ loft, royalty free.

In terms of being a 1923 publication one assumes that the Lovecraft revision story “The Horror at Martin’s Beach” (1923), written with Sonia, is affected by this? His other 1923 fiction is already in the public domain. His 1924 collaborations “The Loved Dead” and “Imprisoned with the Pharaohs” also seem likely to be affected at the start of 2020, as the annual conveyor-belt of releases now starts up again after the 20 year hiatus.

The 1923 Harry Clarke edition of Poe’s Tales of mystery and imagination also seems of interest for its outstanding illustrations by the Irish artist. It appears to be a New York first edition, but is actually a reprint from 1919 but with new illustrations including new colour plates.

This 1923 Life cover is also rather good…

Wladyslaw T. Benda died 1948, so presumably his art also comes out of copyright under the 70 years rule?

In terms of “70 years” literature from authors who died in 1948, and likely to be of interest to readers of this blog, see this post. Canada and New Zealand have life plus 50 years, and so get Mervyn Peake’s work (Gormenghast).