Publications of T. A. Pearson

Note: The following printer, bookseller, or publisher lists are works in progress. They are generated from title page imprints and may reproduce false and misleading attributions or contain errors.

What does "printed by" mean? How to read the roles ascribed to people in the imprints.

In terms of the book trades, the lists below are sorted into up to four groups where: the person is designated in the imprint as having a single role:

  1. "printed by x"; or
  2. "sold by x"; or
  3. "printed for x" or "published by x"; or

as having multiple roles in combination (which suggests a likelihood that the person is a trade publisher):

  1. "printed and sold by x"; "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x" and so on.

Printers (owners of the type and printing presses, and possibly owners of the copyright) may be identified by the words printed by, but printed by does not universally designate a person who is a printer by trade. Booksellers may be identified by the words sold by, but sold by encompasses a number of roles. Booksellers or individuals who owned the copyright are generally identified by the words printed for, but nothing should be concluded in this regard without further evidence, especially since "printed for" could signify that the named person was a distributor rather than a copyright holder. Trade publishers, who distributed books and pamphlets but did not own the copyright or employ a printer—and were not printers themselves—might be identified by the words printed and sold by. Furthermore, works from this period often display false imprints, whether to evade copyright restrictions, to conceal the name of the copyright holders, or to dupe unwitting customers. Ultimately, one must proceed with caution in using the following lists: designations in the imprints may not reliably reflect the actual trades or roles of the people named, and the formulas used in imprints do not consistently mean the same thing.

David Foxon discussed the "meaning of the imprint" in his Lyell Lecture delivered at Oxford in March 1976, with particular attention to "publishers" in the eighteenth-century context:

The fullest form of an imprint is one which names three people, or groups of people:
     London: printed by X (the printer), for Y (the bookseller who owned the copyright), and sold by Z.
In the eighteenth century the printer's name is rarely given, at least in works printed in London, and the form is more commonly:
     London: printed for Y, and sold by Z.
Very often in this period, and particularly for pamphlets, it is further abbreviated to:
     London: printed and sold by Z.
It is this last form which is my present concern. Z is usually what the eighteenth century called 'a publisher', or one who distributes books and pamphlets without having any other responsibility—he does not own the copyright or employ a printer, or even know the author.

D. F. McKenzie coined the term "trade publisher" for these publishers in his Sandars Lectures, also in 1976, on the grounds that their principal role was to publish on behalf of other members of the book trade (Treadwell 100).

Michael Treadwell cautions that "In this period the imprint 'London: Printed and sold by A.B.' normally means 'Printed at London, and sold by A.B.' and must not be taken to mean that A.B. is a printer in the absence of other evidence." Further, "The imprint 'published by' occurs only rarely in Wing and is almost always associated with the name of a trade publisher" (104). While there are exceptions to the rule, it is "certain," he explains, "that anyone who made a speciality of distributing works for others will show a far higher proportion than normal of imprints in one of the 'sold by' forms" (116), which appear in the imprint as "sold by," "printed and sold by," or "published by" (104). Treadwell gives Walter Kettilby as an example of "a fairly typical copyright-owning bookseller" (106)—his role is almost always designated by the phrase "printed for" on imprints.

A final caution: publisher is a word that should be used with some deliberation. Samuel Johnson defines it simply as "One who puts out a book into the world," but "published by" rarely appears on the imprint until later in the eighteenth century, and then primarily associated with newspapers and pamphlets. Treadwell observes that John Dunton names only five publishers among the 200 binders and booksellers in his autobiographical Life and Errors (1705) wherein he undertakes "to draw the Character of the most Eminent [Stationers] in the Three Kingdoms" (100). Treadwell also remarks, however, that "in law, anyone who offered a work for sale 'published' it. In this sense every work had one or more 'publishers', and every bookseller, mercury, and hawker was a 'publisher'" (114).

See:

  • Terry Belanger, "From Bookseller to Publisher: Changes in the London Book Trade, 1750–1850," in Book Selling and Book Buying. Aspects of the Nineteenth-Century British and North American Book Trade, ed. Richard G. Landon (Chicago: American Library Association, 1978).
  • Bricker, Andrew Benjamin. "Who was 'A. Moore'? The Attribution of Eighteenth-Century Publications with False and Misleading Imprints," in The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 110.2 (2016).
  • John Dunton, The Life and Errors of John Dunton (London: Printed for S. Malthus, 1705).
  • John Feather, "The Commerce of Letters: The Study of the Eighteenth-Century Book Trade," Eighteenth-Century Studies 17 (1984).
  • David Foxon, Pope and the Early Eighteenth-Century Book Trade, ed. James McLaverty (Oxford University Press, 1991).
  • Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language, (printed for J. and P. Knapton; T. and T. Longman; C. Hitch and L. Hawes; A. Millar; and R. and J. Dodsley, 1755).
  • D.F. McKenzie, The London Book Trade in the Later Seventeenth Century (Sandars lectures in bibliography, 1977).
  • Michael Treadwell, "London Trade Publishers 1675–1750," The Library sixth series, vol. 4, no. 2 (1982).

Printed by T. A. Pearson

  • For one night. At the Shakespeare Room. On Thursday evening next, April 13, 1797, Mr. Sedgwick & Mrs. Bland, from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, will perform a selection of songs, ... from Handel, ... [Birmingham: printed by T. A. Pearson?, 1797]. ESTC No. T152775. Grub Street ID 197438.
  • Freeth, John. The political songster, with a preface on the times. By J. Freeth. Birmingham: printed by T. A. Pearson, for the author, 1798. ESTC No. N39983. Grub Street ID 27169.
  • Pearson, Richard. The arguments in favour of an inflammatory diathesis in hydrophobia considered; with some reflexions on the nature and treatment of this disease. By Richard Pearson, ... Birmingham: printed by T. A. Pearson, and sold by L. B. Seeley, London, 1798. ESTC No. T22391. Grub Street ID 246321.
  • Mr. Clark's benefit. A selection of music, to be performed At the Theatre in Birmingham, on Thursday evening, October 11, 1798, in commemoration and celebration of the two glorious victories obtained by almirals Lord Duncan & Sir Horatio Nelson. Birmingham: printed by T. A. Pearson [1798]. ESTC No. T222924. Grub Street ID 245641.
  • A catalogue of the books belonging to the Birmingham Library; a copy of the laws; and a list of the subscribers. Birmingham: printed by T. A. Pearson, 1798. ESTC No. T164088. Grub Street ID 202379.
  • Dodsley, Robert. Manuel de tous les ages, ou économie de la vie humaine; traduit d'un ancien manuscrit indien en anglois, & de l'anglois en franois, sur la derniere edition. Par Miss D. P. [Birmingham]: Imprimé par T. A. Pearson, Birmingham, 1799. ESTC No. T82551. Grub Street ID 303126.
  • Waters, Edward Pye. A sermon, preached at St. Mary's church, Stafford, July 25, 1799, at the assizes, held before the Honourable Mr. Baron Thompson, and the Honourable Mr. Justice Rooke. By the Rev. E. P. Waters, ... Birmingham: printed for the author, at T. A. Pearson's printing office; and sold by F. Milward, Walsall; J. Rann, Dudley; J. Smart, Wolverhampton; and A. Morgan, Stafford., [1799]. ESTC No. T145851. Grub Street ID 192565.
  • Pearson, Richard. Some observations on the bilious fevers of 1797, 1798, & 1799. By Richard Pearson, M. D. Physician to the general hospital near Birmingham, and member of the London College of Physicians. Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's Printing Office, High Street, and sold by L. B. Seeley, Ave-Maria Lane, London, 1799. ESTC No. T2439. Grub Street ID 257677.
  • Rumford, Benjamin. Extracts from Count Rumford's Essay on food. Published by his permission. Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's printing office, 1799. ESTC No. T199491. Grub Street ID 231587.
  • Villers, James. Whereas a most daring attempt was made by some desperate villains, between the hours of twelve at night and one this morning, to break into the house of Mr. Villers, of Handsworth, ... Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's printing office, [1799]. ESTC No. T190879. Grub Street ID 225963.
  • Copy of a deed of association, for the prosecution of felons. Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's printing-office, 1799. ESTC No. T228748. Grub Street ID 249015.
  • Mayne, John Litchfield. A compendious English grammar, with ungrammatical exercises, to be corrected according to rule: ... By J. L. Mayne, ... Birmingham: printed by T. A. Pearson, 1799. ESTC No. T213196. Grub Street ID 240094.
  • Pearson, Richard. Observations on Mr. Foden's mineral substitute. By Richard Pearson, M.D. [Birmingham: T. A. Pearson's printing office, 1800]. ESTC No. N10804. Grub Street ID 805.
  • Maniere de se servir de la machine portative à copier. Inventée & patentée par Jacques Watt & Co. de Soho, prs de Birmingham. Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's printing office, 1800. ESTC No. T205733. Grub Street ID 235385.
  • The Birmingham manufacturer's accountant, and friendly monitor ... With plain directions, and some salutory observations on the decline and present deplorable situation of the trade. Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's printing office, for the benefit of the General Hospital, and sold by all the booksellers, 1800. ESTC No. T190818. Grub Street ID 225918.
  • Bisset, J. Bisset's Magnificent directory, embellished with twenty-eight superb and emblematic plates, accompanied by a poetic survey round Birmingham, ... Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's printing office, [1800]. ESTC No. T232284. Grub Street ID 257430.
  • Rules of a society, entitled the General Provident Society, instituted for the relief of the indigent sick, and for the assistance of old age, within the parish of Birmingham. Birmingham: printed T. A. Pearson, 1800. ESTC No. T211803. Grub Street ID 239271.
  • Vauxhall Gardens. For the benefit of Mr. Barber. On Tuesday, July 15, 1800, will be presented, a grand concert of vocal and instrumental music. ... Birmingham: printed at T. A. Pearson's, [1800]. ESTC No. T150202. Grub Street ID 196053.

Sold by T. A. Pearson

  • Sandford, Francis. A concise epitome of the history of England, on 36 plates. Being a representation of Dassier's medals of the sovereigns of England, ... To which is annexed, a succinct account of the principal occurences that took place during each reign, selected chiefly from Sandford's Genealogical history, ... Designed for the amusement and information of youth. [London]: Sold by T. Knott, No. 47, Lombard Street, London; also by T. A. Pearson, and C. Pye, Birmingham; and may be had of all booksellers, [1800?]. ESTC No. T194901. Grub Street ID 228726.
  • Nayler, Richard. A cursory view of the treatment of ulcers, more especially those of the scrofulous, phagedænic, & cancerous description. With an appendix, on Baynton's new mode of treating old ulcers of the leg. By Richard Nayler, ... Glocester: printed by R. Raikes, for G. Kearsley, London, and sold by Washbourn and Hough, Glocester, and T. A. Pearson, Birmingham, 1800. ESTC No. N3835. Grub Street ID 26089.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by T. A. Pearson

  • Waters, Edward Pye. Sermons on various subjects. By Edward Pye Waters, A. B. Curate Of Great Barr, Staffordshire. Birmingham: printed and sold by T. A. Pearson, High-Street; and sold also by B. and J. White, Fleet-Street, and L. B. Seeley, Pater-Noster Row, London, 1800. ESTC No. T117113. Grub Street ID 168735.
  • Rumford, Benjamin. Extracts from Count Rumford's Essay on food. Printed and published, by the Count's permission ... Birmingham: printed and published by T. A. Pearson, [1800?]. ESTC No. T186746. Grub Street ID 222875.