Publications of W. R.

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 W. R.

  • One that Served Two Apprenticeships to a Vintner.. The art and mystery of vintners and wine-coopers: or, a brief discourse concerning the various sicknesses and corruptions of wines, and their respective remedies; ... Delivered to the Royal Society assembled in Gresham Colledge [sic], by one that served two apprenticeships to a vintner in the city of London. London: printed by W. R. and to be sold by A. Baldwin, 1703. ESTC No. N16214. Grub Street ID 5893.

Printed for W. R.

  • Prideaux, Humphrey. The true nature of imposture fully display'd in the life of Mahomet. With a discourse annex'd, for the vindicating of Christianity from this charge; ... By Humphrey Prideaux, D.D. Dean of Norwich. London: printed for W. R. and sold by J. Pemberton, 1708. ESTC No. N51134. Grub Street ID 35141.

Author

  • R., W.. A recantation of famous Pasquin of Rome. An. 1570. Imprinted at London: by Iohn Daye, [1570]. ESTC No. S95719. Grub Street ID 153647.
  • R., W.. The converts letter to his old freinds. Or the apologie of a commander of the Kings party, for diserting of that party, and bearing armes for the Parliament. Wherein is shewed, that those pretences of defending the Protestant religion, the fundamentall lawes, the liberties of the subjects, &c. on that party, are but specious. What Irish, and papists, have been honoured & cheifly intrusted. How if that army doth conquer, as it is now moulded, popery and tiranny, of necessity must be introduced. Withe the lawfulnesse of bearing defensive armes by the Parliament. Printed and published according to order. London: Printed for H. Twyford at the three Daggers in Fleet-street, May 30. 1645. ESTC No. R212471. Grub Street ID 88065.
  • R., W.. Organon salutis. An instrument to cleanse the stomach, as also divers new experiments of the virtue of tobacco and coffee: how much they conduce to preserve humane health. By W.R. of Grays Inne, Esq?. London: printed by R. Hodgkinsonne, for D. Pakeman, living at the Rainbow in Fleetstreet, neer the Inner Temple Gate, 1657. ESTC No. R5405. Grub Street ID 125853.
  • R., W.. Judge Ramsey's instrument to cleanse the stomack. As also, divers new experiments of the vertue of tobacco and coffee; how much they conduce to preserve humane health. Recommended to publick view by Sir Henry Blount, Mr. James Howell. The third edition, with new additions. Experto credo. London: printed for S. Speed, at the Rainbow in Fleetstreet, near the Inner Temple-gate, 1664. ESTC No. R218501. Grub Street ID 93150.
  • R., W.. The English orator or Rhetorical descants by way of declamation upon some notable themes both historical and philosophical. In two parts. London: printed for Obadiah Blagrave at the sign of the Bear in St. Paul's Church yard, 1680. ESTC No. R22197. Grub Street ID 96037.
  • R., W.. The whole art of palmestry: or That excellent skill of discovering fortunes, and accidents, good and bad; truly and certainly by the lines and characters of the hands. Fully laid open, and made plain to the meanest capacities. To which is added, the signification of moles, and how to tell in what part of his or her body any person hath them. With the interpretations of all kind of dreams all the rules being now only taken from the best authors, but tryed and found true by long experience. By W.R. practitioner above thirty years in the most hidden sciences. [London]: Printed for P[hilip]. Brooksby at the Golden-Ball, near West-Smithfield, [1680]. ESTC No. R182341. Grub Street ID 72552.
  • R., W.. Advice to lovers: or, Certain rules of behaviour, shewing them how to demean themselves, so as not to miscarry in the grand affair of love. Wherein also the pretty tricks, odd humours, and fantastick carriage of some paramours, together with several pleasant passages relating to amours, and courtship, are observ'd and describ'd. By W. R. Gent. London: printed for Benjamin Shirley, at his shop under St. Dunstan's Dial, 1680. ESTC No. R219657. Grub Street ID 94157.
  • R., W.. A loyal appeal to the Protestant dissenters, who unjustly complain of a present persecution. London: printed for Joseph Hindmarsh, 1681. ESTC No. R188796. Grub Street ID 76605.
  • R., W.. Wallography; or The Britton describ'd: Being a pleasant relation of a journey into Wales, wherein are set down several remarkable passages that occur'd in the way thither. And also many choice observables, and notable commemorations, concerning the state and condition, the nature and humor, actions, manners, customs, &c. of that countrey and people. / By W.R. a mighty lover of Welch travels. London: Printed for Edward Caudell, bookseller in Bath, 1682. ESTC No. R182703. Grub Street ID 72696.
  • R., W.. Ferguson's remonstrance to the council of six, upon the first discovery of the late horrid conspriacy. A satyr. London: printed for Charles Corbet at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane, 1684. ESTC No. R13386. Grub Street ID 61492.
  • R., W.. The loyal health: occasion'd by His Majesties most happy deliverance from the late horrid phanatical conspiracy, by the fire at Newmarket. [[London]: Printed for Charles Corbet, at the Oxford Arms in Warwick-Lane, 1684.]. ESTC No. R18025. Grub Street ID 71366.
  • R., W.. The English orator: or, Rhetorical descants, by way of declamation, upon some notable themes both historical and philosophical. For the use of scholars. In two parts. London: printed for Obadiah Blagrave at the sign of the Bear and Star in St. Paul's Church-yard, 1690. ESTC No. R220589. Grub Street ID 94924.
  • R., W.. Dean Swift's ghost. London: printed for J. Wilkinson, near Cripplegate, MDCCLIII. [1753]. ESTC No. T116634. Grub Street ID 168298.
  • R., W.. Dr Walter Hodge's ingenuity display'd, in two epistles; with the answers. By W. R. [Newcastle upon Tyne?]: Printed in the year, 1771. ESTC No. T207513. Grub Street ID 236703.
  • R., W.. The cocked pistol: a familiar epistle to a friend, requesting his advice on matrimony. To which is added, his answer, containing rules for chusing a wife. Glasgow: printed for and sold by Brash & Reid, [1795?]. ESTC No. T221491. Grub Street ID 244747.
  • R., W.. The cocked pistol: a familiar epistle to Mr. Jones Morton, ... requesting his advice on matrimony; with his answer, containing rules for chusing a wife. Glasgow: printed for and sold by Brash & Reid, [1798]. ESTC No. T30864. Grub Street ID 261700.