Publications of John Applebee

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 John Applebee

  • The Advocate. Or a vindication of the Christian religion. London [England]: printed by John Applebee, for Richard King, at the Prince's Arms in St. Paul's Church-Yard; and sold by W. Boreham, at the Angel, in Pater-Noster-Row, [1720]-. ESTC No. P2997. Grub Street ID 56441.
  • An account of the conduct and proceedings of the late John Gow alias Smith, captain of the late pirates, executed for murther and piracy committed on board the George gally, afterwards call'd the Revenge; ... London: printed and sold by John Applebee, [1725]. ESTC No. T56855. Grub Street ID 283226.
  • The true and genuine account of the life and actions of the late Jonathan Wild; ... taken from his own mouth, and collected from papers of his own writing. London: printed and sold by John Applebee; J. Isted; and the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1725. ESTC No. T70648. Grub Street ID 294310.
  • Bradley, Richard. The gentleman and farmer's guide, for the increase and improvement of cattle, viz. lambs, sheep, hogs, ... Illustrated with copper plates. By R. Bradley, ... London: printed by J. Applebee, for W. Mears, 1729. ESTC No. T6441. Grub Street ID 289444.
  • Gueullette, Thomas-Simon. Mogul tales, or, the dreams of men awake: being stories told to divert the grief of the Sultana's of Guzarat, for the supposed death of the Sultan. Written in French by the celebrated Mr. Guelletee, ... Now first translated into English. In two volumes, adorned with proper cuts, ... The second edition. ... London: printed by J. Applebee. For J. Brindley; J. Wilcox; J. Hodges; C. Hitch; J. Jolliffe; T. Harris; F. Noble; and T. Wright, 1743. ESTC No. T131489. Grub Street ID 180473.
  • Greenwood, James. The royal English grammar, containing what is necessary to the knowledge of the English tongue. Laid down in a plain and familiar way. For the use of young gentlemen and ladies. To which are added, lessons for boys at school, shewing the use of the Parts of Speech, and the joining Words together in a Sentence. By James Greenwood Sur-Master of St. Paul's School. London: printed by J. Applebee, for J. Nourse, at the Lamb, without Temple-Bar, M,DCC,XLIV. [1744]. ESTC No. N13200. Grub Street ID 3139.

Sold by John Applebee

  • Cowley, (John). J. A description of the Windward Passage, and Gulf of Florida, with the course of the British trading-ships to, and from the island of Jamaica. Also an account of the trade winds, and of the variable winds and currents on the coasts thereabouts, at different seasons of the year. Illustrated with a chart of the coast of Florida, and of the Islands of Bahama, Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and the adjacent smaller islands, shoals, rocks, and other remarkable things in the course of the navigation in the West-Indies. Whereby is demonstrated, ... To which are added, some proposals for the better securing of the British trade and navigation to and from the West-Indies. ... To which is now annexed, a very remarkable letter, ... By the late John Cowley, geographer to His Majesty. London: printed and sold by J. Applebee, in Bolt-Court, Fleet-street, C. Corbett, bookseller and publisher, in Fleet-Street; E. Nutt and E. Cook, at the Royal-Exchange, and A. Dodd, at the Peacock, without Temple-Bar, 1745. (Price One-Shilling.). ESTC No. N68529. Grub Street ID 49906.

Printed for John Applebee

  • Telltruth, Timothy. Matter of fact; or, the Arraignment and Tryal of the Directors of the S---- S--- Company, With The Pleadings of the Counsel on both sides. Counsel against the Prisoners. Coun. for the Prisoners. Counsellor Crambo, Counsellor Clamour, Counsellor Query, Counsellor Trifle, Mr Serjeant Rumour, Philopatris. Judges of the Bench. Truth, Justice, Reason, Being the substance of all that has been Written, Pro and Con, in this mighty Controversy about the South-Sea Stock. Dedicated to the losers. London: printed for John Applebee, a little below B[r]idewel-Bridge, Black Fryers; W. Boreham, at the Angel in Pater Noster-Row; and A. Dodd, at the Peacock without Temple-Bar, 1720. ESTC No. T39052. Grub Street ID 268413.
  • Aulnoy. Bribery in perfection; or, a nation sold. ... Written in French by the famous Madam Dunois, author of the Ladies travels into Spain. ... London: printed for John Applebee; J. Peele; and A. Dodd, 1721. ESTC No. N31930. Grub Street ID 20807.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by John Applebee

  • Everett, John. A genuine narrative of the memorable life and actions of John Everett, who formerly kept the Cock Ale-House in the Old-Bailey; and lately the Tap in the Fleet-Prison, and was executed at Tyburn, on Friday the 20th day of February, 1729-30. To which is added, his humble address (by way of letter) to Mrs. Martha Ellis and Mrs Manly, whom he Robb'd, and for which he was Condemn'd. And likewise his letter to his brother's master, a Chair-Maker, &c. Written by himself when under Condemnation, and in his Cell in Newgate, and Publish'd at his own Request. London: printed and sold by John Applebee, in Black-Fryers; E. Nutt, at the Royal-Exchange; and A. Dodd, at the Peacock without Temple-Bar, MDCCXXX. [1730]. ESTC No. N18270. Grub Street ID 7749.
  • The lives of the most remarkable criminals, who have been condemn'd and executed; for murder, ... or other offences; from the year 1720, to the present time: ... Collected from original papers and authentick memoirs. Vol. I. To which is prefix'd a preface, containing a general view of the laws of England, with respect to capital offences. London: Printed and sold by John Applebee; A. Bettesworth and C. Hitch; J. Pemberton; J. Isted; E. Symons, and R. Wake, 1732. ESTC No. N33738. Grub Street ID 22186.
  • The account of the behaviour, confessions, and dying words, of the malefactors, who were executed at Kennington-Common, on Friday the 11th of this instant April: and likewise the confessions ... of Sweet and Wilkinson, ... London: printed and sold by John Applebee, 1735. ESTC No. N14900. Grub Street ID 4651.
  • Cowley, (John). J. A description of the windward passage, and Gulf of Florida, with the course of the British trading-ships to, and from the island of Jamaica. ... Illustrated with a chart ... To which are added, some proposals for the better securing of the British trade and navigation to and from the West-Indies. ... London: printed and sold by J. Applebee; C. Corbett; E. Nutt and E. Cook; and A. Dodd, 1739. ESTC No. N8546. Grub Street ID 53446.
  • Boyd, Elizabeth. Admiral Haddock: or, the progress of Spain. A poem. London: printed and sold by J. Applebee, in Bolt-Court, Fleet-Street; C. Corbett, Bookseller and Publisher, over-against St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet-Street; E. Nutt, E. Cook, and M. Bartlett, at their Pamphlet-Shops at the Royal-Exchange; and A. Dodd, at the Peacock without Temple-Bar, [1739] [1740]. ESTC No. N15336. Grub Street ID 5066.