Who is Sheila Seed?

March 14, 2006 11:16 AM

Does anyone have any info on Sheila (Turner) Seed? I need to clear the copyrights for some of her material for a work project, and am having the damndest luck tracking any info down... (more info on who she is and what I already know inside)

From what I've been able to find out so far, Sheila Seed was a journalist working on project called 'Images of Man' in the 1970's. A vague mention on a Cornell University page makes reference to an 'untimely death'.

I'm currently working on a web project about the life and works of Lisette Model. In the 70's, Ms. Seed did an interview with Lisette, and I'd like to post audio excerpts of the interview online. But without Ms. Seed or her estate's okay, I can't. Throwing myself at the feet of AskMe, you are my last and only hope, etc.

posted by deadtrouble to grab bag (7 comments total)

Perhaps contact Scholastic, Inc., who seems to have been her publisher? If she did the interview while working for them, it would be their property anyway.
posted by misanthropicsarah at 11:47 AM on March 14, 2006

A DB we have has an abstract from the New York Times about her death. It was printed on June 23, 1979 (Saturday) on Page 26, Column 4. The abstract just says she was a former editor at Scholastic magazine and an independent writer & photographer, and that she was 42 when she died.

It also looks like they reviewed "Images of Man" on August 29, 1971 (Sunday) in Section 7; Page 28, Column 0. They attribute it to Rosenthal, Bernard G. though. Unfortunately this was an abstract as well so that is all there is.

nytimes.com only goes back to '81 so I guess you'll need to find some archive to get the full articles. Contacting Scholastic also sounds like a great idea. If they can't help my only other thought is to look up Mr. Rosenthal. Oh, and in 2029 New York will release her death certificate to non-family people (genealogy, you see) and that might list a next of kin, but that is 23 years away.
posted by jwells at 12:18 PM on March 14, 2006

Agreed with the "contact the publisher" suggestion. Also, make sure you document all of your attempts to locate Ms. Seed and / or her estate.

Then check with your company's lawyers. They may agree that, having done your due diligence to locate the rightsholders, it is acceptable to use the material anyway.

Or at least, that has been my experience when doing rights and clearances for television programs.
posted by dersins at 12:22 PM on March 14, 2006

Here's some pertinent info from the obit which may help you get in touch with her estate:

She is survived by her husband, Brian Seed, the photographer; a daughter, Rachel; a son, Jonathan; her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Turner, and a brother, Barry Turner.

The obit also mentions that she contributed to the New York Times travel section using her maiden name, Sheila R. Turner.
posted by zsazsa at 1:04 PM on March 14, 2006

AGPix lists a photographer Brian Seed:

http://www.agpix.com/photographer/prime/A0096210.html

... with the following contact info.

Brian Seed
638 North Genesee Street
Waukegan IL 60085

Phone:
847-782-7420 / 847 782-7414

Fax:
847 557-1225

Email:
[e-mail]

Website:
www.photosource.com/1132
posted by unSane at 1:25 PM on March 14, 2006

Is this where you got the recordings. If you haven't seen this already, I am wondering if the the contact person is who you should talk to. In other words, do you need to deal with things from the perspective of Lisette Model's estate (via the archive) rather than Sheila Turner's estate.

If that's not what you had in mind, go here to search part of the U.S. Copyright Office database and plug in RE-831-086 for the registration number (or Images of Man for the title).

You should get a much nicer formatted version of below. If you are saying that the Lisette interview is part of Images of Man study guide, then this seems to indicate that Scholastic rather than Sheila holds the copyright.

RE-831-086 (COHM)
Title: Teaching guide to Images of man. By aScholastic Magazines, Inc. & the International Fund for Concerned Photography, Inc.

Additional Title: Images of man.

Claimant: acScholastic, Inc. & acInternational Fund for Concerned Photography, Inc. (PWH)

Effective Registration Date: 17Oct00
Original Registration Date: 3Apr72;
Original Registration Number: A326543.
Original Class: A
Claim Limit: NEW MATTER: compilation and editorial selection of text & ill. & additional text

Hopefully, some of this works.
posted by bim at 2:21 PM on March 14, 2006

Wow, thanks guys.

Bim, that is where I got the recording from - unfortunately Cyndie at the library didn't have any info on the copyright holders.

Thanks for all the advice, everyone. I will contact Scholastic and Brian Seed and will definitely keep everything on file.

Cheers!
posted by deadtrouble at 9:51 AM on March 15, 2006