Publications of John Osborn (1)

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).

Sold by John Osborn (1)

  • Bussy, Roger de Rabutin. The amorous history of the Gauls. Containing the intrigues and gallantries of the court of France, during the reign of Louis XIV. Written in French by Roger de Rabutin, Count de Bussy. And now translated into English. London: printed for S. Illidge, under Serle's Gate, Lincoln's-Inn New-Square; and sold by J. Osborn, at St. Saviour's Dock-Head, near Horsely-Down, 1727. ESTC No. N2538. Grub Street ID 14736.
  • Haywood, Eliza. A wife to be lett; a comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. Written by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed for D. Browne, at the Black-Swan, without Temple-Bar; and sold by J. Osborn at Dock-Head, Horsely-Down, M.DCC.XXIX. [1729]. ESTC No. N25052. Grub Street ID 14403.
  • Haywood, Eliza. A wife to be lett; a comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, ... Written by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed for D. Browne; and sold by J. Osborn, 1729. ESTC No. N66679. Grub Street ID 48380.
  • Euclid. Euclid’s elements of geometry, from the Latin translation of Commandine. To which is added, a treatise of the nature of arithmetic of logarithms; likewise another of the elements of plain and spherical trigonometry; with a preface, shewing the usefulness and excellency of this work. By Doctor John Keil, F.R.S. and late Professor of Astronomy in Oxford. The whole revised; where deficient, supplied; where lost or corrupted, restored. Also many faults committed by Dr. Harris, Mr. Caswel, Mr. Heynes, and other trigonometrical writers, are shewn; and in those cases where they are mistaken, here are given solutions geometrically true. An ample account of which may be seen in the preface, by Samuel Cunn. The third edition, carefully revised and corrected, by John Ham, teacher of mathematics in Great-Kirby-street, Hatton-Garden. By whom is subjoined an appendix, containing the investigation of those series’s omitted by the author. And the difference between Dr. Keil and Mr. Cunn impartially examined and adjusted. London: printed for Tho. Woodward; and sold by J. Osborn, 1733. ESTC No. T146425. Grub Street ID 193073.
  • Haywood, Eliza. A wife to be lett. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, by His Majesty's servants. Written by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed for W. Feales; and sold by J. Osborn, 1735. ESTC No. N19817. Grub Street ID 9239.
  • Haywood, Eliza. A wife to be lett: a comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, ... Written by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed for D. Browne; and sold by J. Osborn, 1735. ESTC No. N25051. Grub Street ID 14402.
  • Haywood, Eliza. A wife to be lett. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane, By His Majesty's Servants. Written by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed [by Samuel Richardson] for W. Feales; and sold by J. Osborn, at the Golden-Ball in Pater-Noster-Row, M.DCC.XXXV [1735]. ESTC No. T59949. Grub Street ID 285902.

Printed for John Osborn (1)

  • Disney, John. The justice and religion of magistrates, considered in a sermon preached in the parish-church of St. Mary, Nottingham, before the Mayor and aldermen on Michaelmas day 1724. By John Disney, ... London: printed for John Osborn; and William Ward, 1724. ESTC No. N1856. Grub Street ID 8026.
  • Defoe, Daniel. The four years voyages of Capt. George Roberts; being a series of uncommon events, which befell him in a voyage to the islands of the Canaries, Cape de Verde, and Barbadoes, from whence he was bound to the coast of Guiney. The manner of his being taken by three pyrate ships, commanded by Low, Russell, and Spriggs, who, after having plundered him, and detained him 10 days, put him aboard his own sloop, without provisions, water, &c. and with only two boys, one of eighteen, and the other of eight years of age. The hardships he endur’d for above 20 days, ’till he arriv’d at the island of St. Nicholas, from whence he was blown off to sea (before he could get any sustenance) without his boat and biggest boy, whom he had sent ashore; and after four days of difficulty and distress, was shipwreck’d on the unfrequented island of St. John, where, after he had remained near two years, he built a vessel to bring himself off. With a particular and curious description and draught of the Cape de Verd islands; their roads, anchoring places, nature and production of the soils; the kindness and hospitality of the natives to strangers, their religion, manners, customs, and superstitions, &c. Together with observations on the minerals, mineral waters, metals, and salts, and of the nitre with which some of these islands abound. Written by himself, and interspers’d with many pleasant and profitable remarks, very instructive for all those who use this trade, or who may have the misfortune to meet with any of the like distresses either by pyracy or shipwreck. Adorn’d with several copper plates. London: printed for A. Bettesworth, and J. Osborn, 1726. ESTC No. T56902. Grub Street ID 283274.
  • The right, pleasant, and diverting. history of Fortunatus and his two sons. In two parts. ... First penn'd in the Dutch tongue, thence abstracted, and now published in English, by T. C. London: printed for J. Osborne; J. King; and J. Hodges, [1730?]. ESTC No. N12936. Grub Street ID 2901.
  • Ward, Edward. Nuptial dialogues and debates: or, an useful prospect of the felicities and discomforts of a marry'd life, Incident to all Degrees, from the Throne to the Cottage. Containing Many great Examples of Love, Piety, Prudence, Justice, and all the Excellent Vertues, that largely contribute to the true Happiness of Wedlock. Drawn from the Lives of our own Princes, Nobility, and other Quality, in Prosperity and Adversity. Also the fantastical Humours of all Fops, Coquets, Bullies, Jilts, fond Fools, and Wantons; old Fumblers, barren Ladies, Misers, parsimonious Wives, Ninnies, Sluts and Termagants; drunken Husbands, toping Gossips, schismatical Precisians, and devout Hypocrites of all Sorts. Digested into serious, merry, and satirical poems, wherein both Sexes, in all Stations, are reminded of their Duty, and taught how to be happy in a Matrimonial State. In two volumes. By Edward Ward, Author of the London Spy. London: printed for Mess. Bettesworth, and Hitch, Ware, and Osborn, in Pater-Noster-Row; Hodges, on London-Bridge; Baily, in Mitre-Court, Fleetstreet; and Cummins, at the Royal Exchange, 1737. ESTC No. T125015. Grub Street ID 175188.
  • Delany, Patrick. An historical account of the life and reign of David King of Israel: interspersed with various conjectures, ... In which ... Mr. Bayle's criticisms ... are fully considered. By the author of Revelation examin'd with candour. London: printed for J. Osborn, at the Golden-Ball in Pater-noster Row. And sold by W. Innys and R. Manby, C. Rivington, T. Longman, S. Birt, J. and P. Knapton, T. Astley, S. Austin, C. Hitch, J. Wood and C. Woodward, near St. Paul’s; T. Woodward and C. Bathurst, in Fleet-street; J. Hodges on London-Bridge; R. Dodsley in Pallmall; H. Chapelle in Grosvenor-street; R. Hett and J. Davidson in the Poultry; and J. Leake, at Bath, M. DCC. XL. [1740]. ESTC No. N17799. Grub Street ID 7263.
  • Stona, Robert. The inexcusableness of judging one another in religious matters. A sermon preach'd before the clergy, at the arch-deacon's visitation, at Lynn-Regis, in Norfolk, October the 4th, 1743. By Robert Stona, ... London: printed for Mr. Osborn; and to be sold by Mr. Thurlbourn, Cambridge; and Mrs. Samuel, Lynn, 1744. ESTC No. T208821. Grub Street ID 237588.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by John Osborn (1)

  • Hell's everlasting flames avoided: Heaven's eternal felicities enjoyed. Containing the Penitent Sinner's sad Lamentation for the Deplorableness of his Impious Life. With a short View of the Terrors of the Damned in Hell; and his holy Resolutions to a thorough Reformation: With some Considerations upon the Glory of the Saints in Heaven. Also Holy Preparations to a worthy Receiving of the Lords 'supper: With devout Prayers, Praises and Thanksgivings, upon several Occasions; with Graces before and after Meat. The five and thirtieth edition. By John Hayward, D.D. London: printed and sold by Mess: Bettesworth, Hitch and Osborn, in Paternoster-Row, and J. Hodges, on London Bridge, 1733. ESTC No. T36084. Grub Street ID 266057.