I believe the law is, just because you own the original doesn't mean you own the right to make copies (which is what "copyright" means).

I once read an article that explained copyright law as it applies to private letters. Suppose a famous person writes you a letter. You, the recipient, then own the letter. You can sell it, hang it on your wall, put it on display in a public place (such as a museum)—but no one can make copies of it and publish the copies without the permission of the writer or his heirs.

An exception would be a "letter to the editor." It is assumed that anyone who writes a letter addressed to the "editor" of a publication is giving permission to publish it.

I suppose the same principle applies to any written material.