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I also want to make it clear that, regardless of how long copyrights should last, Christopher's work is not "extending" that copyright. The original texts will become public domain when they do; only Christopher's particular additions get their own copyright.
There will be some problem come 2043 when Tolkien's works, even unpublished, become public domain. Technically you'll be free to sell your own copies of The Silmarillion, The Children of Hurin, and so on -- but how can you tell what text is original and what is Chrstopher's? By integrating the works together you can't tell, and you won't be able to get access to the original papers. I anticipate some court battles.
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