Publications of William Owen

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:

"printed by x"; or
"sold by x"; or
"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):

"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 William Owen

King, William. Doctor King's apology: or, vindication of himself from the several matters charged on him by the Society of Informers. Oxford: printed at the Theatre for S. Parker, bookseller: and sold by W. Owen near Temple-Bar, London, MDCCLV. [1755]. ESTC No. T34779. Grub Street ID 265033.
The vermin-killer: being a compleat and necessary family-book. Shewing a ready way to destroy adders, badgers, birds of all sorts, earwigs, ... London: printed and sold by W. Owen, [1755?]. ESTC No. T54055. Grub Street ID 280931.

Sold by William Owen

The proceedings at the session of oyer and terminer, and General Goal Delivery for the County of Surry, held at Kingston upon Thames, In and for the said County, On Tuesday the 31st of March, Wednesday the 1st, Thursday the 2d, and Friday the 3d of April, In the 25th Year of his Majesty's Reign, before The Honourable Sir Martin Wright, and the Hon. Sir Michael Foster, Knts. Being the First Assize in the Sheriffwick of Edward Saunderson, Esq; High Sheriff for the said County. By permission. London: printed and sold by W. Owen at Homer's Head near Temple-Bar, 1752. ESTC No. T64774. Grub Street ID 289760.
Scarlatti, Domenico. Libro de XII sonatas modernas para clavicordio compuestas por el se-or D. Domingo Scarlati ... libro II. London: printed and sold by Wm. Owen, and at the editor's house no. 23 Rathbone Place, [1771]. ESTC No. T185567. Grub Street ID 221746.

Printed for William Owen

Ralph, James. The Remembrancer. By George Cadwallader, gent. London [England]: printed for W[illiam]. Owen, publisher, at Homer's-Head, Temple-Bar, in Fleet-Street; where advertisements, and letters to the author, are taken in: sold also at the pamphlet shops at the Royal-Exchange, St. Clements, Charing-Cross, the Court of Requests St. James's-Streeet, the New Buildings &c. ESTC No. P1798. Grub Street ID 55568.
Pry, Mrs. Penelope. The Lady's weekly magazine. Publish'd under the direction of Mrs. Penelope Pry. London: printed for W. Owen, at Homer's Head, near Temple-Bar, Fleet-street; where advertisements and letters to the author are taken in, [1747]. ESTC No. P221. Grub Street ID 359259.
Salmon, Thomas. The foreigner's companion through the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford, and the adjacent counties. Describing The several Colleges, and other Public Buildings. With An Account of their respective Founders, Benefactors, Bishops, and other Eminent Men educated in them. By Mr. Salmon. London: printed for William Owen, at Homer's Head, near Temple-Bar, in Fleet-Street. And sold by the booksellers in Cambridge, Oxford, and London, M.DCC.XLVIII. [1748]. ESTC No. T108624. Grub Street ID 161497.
Martin, Benjamin. A panegyrick on the Newtonian philosophy. Shewing the nature and dignity of the science, and Its absolute Necessity to the Perfection of Human Nature; the Improvement of Arts and Sciences, the Promotion of true Religion, the Increase of Wealth and Honour, and the Completion of Human Felicity. By B. Martin. London: printed for W. Owen, near Temple-Bar, and J. Leake, and J. Frederick, at Bath, MDCCLXIX MDCCLXIX [1749]. ESTC No. N10361. Grub Street ID 369.
Haywood, Eliza. A present for women addicted to drinking. Adapted to all the different stations of life, from a lady of quality to a common servant. London: printed [by Thomas Gardner] for W. Owen, near Temple-Bar, [1750]. ESTC No. T75386. Grub Street ID 298112.
An occasional letter, addressed to the Right Honorable Henry Pelham, Esq; First Lord Commissioner of the Treasury, And Chancellor of the Exchequer. By the Honorable Robert Robinson, Esq; Chief Justice of Gibraltar. London: printed for W Owen, at Homer's-Head, Temple-Bar, [1750]. ESTC No. N46574. Grub Street ID 31400.
Warton, Thomas. The triumph of Isis, a poem. Occasioned by Isis, an elegy. London: printed for W. Owen at Homer's Head near Temple-Bar; and sold by J. Barrett in Oxford, MDCCL. [1750]. ESTC No. T51748. Grub Street ID 278960.
The Remembrancer: or, National advocate. By George Cadwallader, gent. London [England]: printed for W[illiam]. Owen, publisher, at Homer's-Head, Temple-Bar, in Fleet-Street; where advertisements, and letters to the author, are taken in: sold also at the pamphlet shops at the Royal-Exchange, St. Clements, Charing-Cross, the Court of Requests St. James's-Streeet, the New Buildings &c., [1751]. ESTC No. P1799. Grub Street ID 55569.
Lockman, John. Ode to the Right Honourable the Earl of Middlesex. Writ, on a particular occasion, in December, 1747; and presented to his Lordship on his birth-day, February 6. 1750-1. By J. Lockman. London: [printed for W. Owen?], [1751]. ESTC No. T42007. Grub Street ID 270807.
A treatise on distributive justice. Chiefly confin'd to the consideration of will making. To which is annexed, the last will and testament of a premier, lately deceased. London: printed for William Owen, at Homer's Head, Temple-Bar, MDCCLII. 1752. ESTC No. N13708. Grub Street ID 3608.
Holcombe, George. A sermon preached at a primary visitation of the Right Reverend Father in God Anthony, Lord Bishop of St. David's, held at Haverford-West, the 8th day of July, 1755. By George Holcombe, A. M. Canon Residentiary of the Cathedral Church of St. David's. Published at the Desire of the Lord Bishop and Clergy. London: printed for W. Owen, at Homer's-Head near Temple-Bar, and E. Ayleway, at Haverford-West, [1755?]. ESTC No. T3069. Grub Street ID 261540.
Citizen.. The irretrievable abyss: Humbly addressed to both Houses of Parliament; And recommended to the citizens of London In Particular. By a citizen. London: printed for W. Owens near Temple-Bar, MDCCLVII. [1757]. ESTC No. T59138. Grub Street ID 285159.
Goadby, Robert. The universe displayed; or, a survey of the wonderful works of creation, and of the various customs and inventions of men. In which whatever is most remarkable throughout the world, ... will not only be given an account of, but the most curious of them also finely represented by beautiful copper-plate cuts. London: printed for W. Owen and R. Goadby, 1764. ESTC No. N35988. Grub Street ID 23996.
Bockett, John. Gentile divinity and morality demonstrated: in a brief collection of sayings, precepts, counsels, sentences, and exhortations of several eminent gentile philosophers, princes, orators, &c. With a short Account of their Lives. A new edition. By John Bockett. Whereunto is added, An Apology for this Book, and Those People, who neither in former Ages had, nor at this Day have the Holy Scriptures afforded them. By Richard Claridge. London: printed for Wm. Owen, near Temple-Bar; and C. and E. Dilly, in the Poultry, M.DCC.LXVII. [1767]. ESTC No. T68901. Grub Street ID 293009.
The attorney and solicitor's complete assistant: being a useful and necessary companion for both the office and pocket, ... In two volumes. The first contains a full description of the several kinds ... of estates, ... Also a description of the several deeds ... used in conveyancing, ... The second volume contains a collection of useful, approved and complete precedents in conveyancing, ... Compiled by a gentleman eminent in practice, for a remembrancer to himself. London: printed by His Majesty's law printers; for W. Owen; W. Flexney; J. Wilkie; G. Kearsly; Messrs. Robinson and Roberts; and C. Corbet, 1768. ESTC No. N15982. Grub Street ID 5683.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by William Owen

Martin, Benjamin. A new and comprehensive system of philology; or, a treatise of the literary arts and sciences, according to their present state. Vol. I. Containing the following Sciences. I. Theology, as a Science. II. Ethics; or Moral Philosophy. III. Judaism; or the Hebrew Revelation. IV. Paganism; or Heathen Divinity. V. Christianity; or Christian Revelation. By Benjamin Martin. London: printed and sold by W. Owen, Temple-Bar, and by the author, at his House in Fleet-Street, MDCCLIX. [1759]-64. ESTC No. N11469. Grub Street ID 1469.

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