Free patterns versus resold public domain patterns

[magicmau5]

My favorite website for free vintage (public domain, not restricted by copyright) crochet patterns is the Antique Pattern Library. Other than that, sometimes I can just randomly search on Google and find some vintage patterns that way, although sometimes I might need to use The Wayback Machine to trace a broken link (it's a site that archives the internet). Yesterday I was browsing through crochet pattern digital downloads for sale on Etsy (which sells a lot of vintage and original handmade stuff, including digital patterns). I was startled to discover that a large amount of sellers on Etsy are selling downloadable scans of public domain crochet patterns. That's not the main problem, the issue I have with this practice is that from what I could tell while browsing, those public domain patterns are already hosted on places like the APL. I think this kind of practice is deceptive to buyers. It's fine to sell vintage patterns that aren't available elsewhere, but I recognized many patterns that I've previously downloaded for free being sold for various sums on Etsy. Um... well, the main point I wanted to make is that anyone who likes vintage patterns, I hope you take the time to check if they're already uploaded on APL or something.

[Tampa Doll]

You have some beautiful patterns there.  One looks like the table cover my Mom made each of us girls.

[Granny Square]

It is perfectly legal to duplicate and sell patterns that are in the public domain.  It is no different than a bookstore selling copies of "Little Women" by Louisa May Alcott.  But, I get your point; 'let the buyer beware' is never bad advice.  And yeah, I can get 'lost' in the Antique Pattern Library for hours it seems...I've worked a couple of nearly 200 year old doily patterns from there; I'm always checking the 'news' section to see what's been added.

FreeVintageCrochet and Doilybox are other sites that are fun to explore for vintage crochet patterns, there's some overlap with patterns on APL.