Publications of C. W.

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 for C. W.

  • A declaration of the armie, presented to the Kings Majesty in the Isle of Wight; declaring, their full resolution touching His Majesties Reign and government, and we ring [sic] the crown of England; and their proposals upon what terms and conditions they will re-inthrone Him. With His Majesties vow and protestation touching the army. Also, the armies propositions to the generall councel of the army at St. Albanes, concerning King, Lords, and Commons, debated on Wednesday last, Novemb. 8. 1648. London: printed for C. W. neer the Royal Exchange, 1648. ESTC No. R205670. Grub Street ID 82349.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by C. W.

  • Nixon, Robert. The original predictions oe [sic] Robert Nixon, commonly called the Cheshire prophet; in doggrel verse: published from an authentic manuscript, From the Library of the E***** N Family. Together with Nixon's Cheshire prophecy at large; From Lady Cowper's Correct Copy, in the Relign of Queen Anne: with historical and political remarks; And It's Fulfilment in many Instances. Also, some particulars of his life; by John Oldmixon, Esq. and others. Chester: printed and sold by C. W. Leadbeater [1798?]. ESTC No. N10593. Grub Street ID 602.

Author

  • W., C.. A full relation of the desperate design of the malignants, for the betraying of Monmouth towne and castle: with the particular manner of the discovery thereof by Sir Trevor Williams, and the meanes used to prevent it by Col. Morgan and Lieut. Col. Kerle. And divers malignant families thereupon by proclamation put out of the said town. Also, how Lieut. col. Kerle fell into the enemies quarters neere Hereford, and took divers prisoners, horse, and armes. Likewise, a copy of Col. Sandys letter of the manner of taking Shelford house, 140. of the enemy put to the sword, the governour wounded, and 30 officers and common prisoners taken. Published by speciall command. London: Printed for Thomas Bates, at the signe of the Maiden-head on Snow-hill, Holborn conduit, 1645. ESTC No. R200388. Grub Street ID 77923.
  • W., C.. The Congress at The Hague. Licens'd, May 8. 1691. J. Fraser. London: printed for Ric. Baldwin, near the Oxford-Arms-Inn, Warwick-Lane, 1691. ESTC No. R1457. Grub Street ID 62584.
  • W., C.. Tack about; or, a new model of a marine establishment, for raising seamen for the continual service of Her Majesty's Fleet. Being a plain, easy,and practicable method to raise seamen upon any juncture sufficient speedily to man a very considerable fleet, and defend our trade: without the excessive charges of impress-money, impress-lieutenants, patches, or bounty-money. Most humbly recommended to Her most sacred Majesty, and the present Parliament of England. To which is added upon the same ground of establishment, a probable method to supply continual convoys to support our New-Castle trade, without the charges of wages to maintain, or raise such convoy-seamen to the government. And keep coals at a moderate price. London: printed and sold by John Nutt, near Stationers-Hall, 1703. ESTC No. T49823. Grub Street ID 277570.
  • W., C.. Directions for the more faithful execution of the new militia act, setting forth the several alterations made from the former laws, and the Reasons which Occasioned them, being drawn up for the Information of all such who are Concern'd in that Establishment. By C. W. member of Parliament. London: printed by J. Towers in Piccadilly, [1758?]. ESTC No. N46391. Grub Street ID 31254.
  • W., C.. A proposal for raising a fund, to put into execution an act, past last session of Parliament, for paving, repairing, cleansing, and lighting the streets of Westminster, &c. and in alleviation of the Rate therein mention'd. By C. W. Member of Parliament. London: printed by J. Towers in Piccadilly, 1762. ESTC No. N40239. Grub Street ID 27294.
  • W., C.. The honest elector's proposal, for rendering the votes of all constituents, throughout the kingdom, free and independent. By C. W. London: printed for the author; and sold by J. Almon, 1767. ESTC No. T36602. Grub Street ID 266513.
  • W., C.. Memoirs of a gentleman, who resided several years in the East Indies during the late revolutions, and Most Important Events in that Part of the World; Containing, Several Anecdotes of a Public as Well as of a Private Nature, Never Before Published. Written by himself. London: printed for J. Donaldson, Corner of Arundel-Street, Strand, MDCCLXXIV. [1774]. ESTC No. T96514. Grub Street ID 315966.