Publications of D. B.

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 D. B.

  • Blackall, Offspring. Of children's bearing the iniquities of their fathers. A sermon preach'd before the Honourable House of Peers in the Abbey-Church at Westminster, on Monday, January the 31st, 1708. Being the Day appointed to be kept as the Day of the Martyrdom of the Blessed King Charles the First. By Ofspring, Lord Bishop of Exon. London: printed by D. B. [i.e. D. Bridge?] for the benefit of the poor, [1709?]. ESTC No. T56663. Grub Street ID 283071.

Printed for D. B.

  • Oldham, John. The works of Mr. John Oldham, together with his remains. The sixth edition very much corrected. To which is prefix'd his effigies taken from the original never done before. London: printed for D. B. [Dan. Brown] J. N. [John Nicholson] B. T. [Benj. Tooke] and G. S. [George Strahan] and sold by W. Davis, and Geo. Strahan, 1704. ESTC No. N25855. Grub Street ID 15211.

Author

  • B., D.. With the light is fifteen priests, (of the Isle of Wight reproved, who have joyned and subscribed their names together, (and printed) in publike view, declaring themselves to be ministers of Christ; yet confessing and largely demonstrating that they are dark sinful sinners of the Gentiles, living in obscurity, chained up in a cave of darkness, their light eclipsed, their eyes dim, their sloath great, their hearts begin to gather blackness, and are seised on with fear, and that their authority in preaching is marred by unholy living, and that the greatest misteries o their religion have been squeesed out of the writings of heathens. ... Ro. Tuchin. Robert Dingley. Vincent Spark. Thomas Clark. William Bignel. John Barnes, James Craswick. Joshua Tomkins. William Harby. Ric. Beminster. Edward Bucklar. John Martin. Simon Pole. Martin Wells. Mathew Hearn. Given forth as a true testimony from the hand of one of the meanest servants of the eternal living truth, against a rebellious seed of evi. London printed: in the 12th. month for Mary Westwood., 1658. ESTC No. R170426. Grub Street ID 65099.
  • B., D.. A thundering voice out of Sion. Yet a tender visitation sounding forth to awaken all sorts of professors in this nation of England, (and dominions thereof) who are scattered in the many by-wayes, sects and opinions, crying, lo here, and lo there, seeking the kingdom of God (which is not of this world) with outward observation. More especially intended and directed unto those people who have separated themselves, ... Given forth by a souldier in the army of the Lamb, who is in outward bonds in the prison-house, called New-Prison, and known by name, Daniel Baker, though by the scorners called Quaker. London: printed for Thomas Simmons, at the Bull and Mouth, near Aldersgate, 1658. ESTC No. R16731. Grub Street ID 64547.
  • B., D.. A single and general voice, lifted up like a trumpet, sounding forth the Lords controversie concerning London, with her governors, priests, and citizens that walk in the manners, customs, and way of the heathen, that know not the dreadful God who is Light among them, neither like to retain God ... With somewhat directed to the ear of Thomas Atkin, called, alderman of the said city; a reproof to his perverse and ungodly proceedings, message, and two letters from his hand answered, with a lamentable cry of the innocent, in and through a servant of the Church of the first born, in the inner-prison, called, the Hole, in the Poultery Counter in London. Also a letter from a servant of God in the said prison to Thomas Allen Mayor of the City. ... By Daniel Baker. London: printed for Thomas Simmons, neer Aldersgate, 1659. ESTC No. R32851. Grub Street ID 115520.
  • B., D.. Now heare this all yee persecuting rulers, preists [sic], and magistrates throughout the world. Woe, woe, terror, terror, and feirce [sic] indignation from the Lord God, even the true testimony written in this book, by the servant of the Lord Daniel Baker. [[London]: Printed for M[ary]. W[estwood]., 1659]. ESTC No. R170425. Grub Street ID 65098.
  • B., D.. A certaine warning from a naked heart before the Lord, to the earthly, wise, great, and honourable men, and inhabitants of the earth, and to all among them, without respect of persons, that know not the rocke of ages, ... With a quick loud thundring alarum, sounded in the holy mountaine, of the Lords house of holinesse that the inhabitants and great men of the earth might be awakened, ... Given forth from the hand of a friend to the whole creation, ... arising to smite the earth with the rod of his mouth. Daniel Baker. [London: printed for M.W., 1659]. ESTC No. R39860. Grub Street ID 121717.
  • B., D.. The prophet approved, by the words of his prophesie coming to passe. Being a declaration of the message which Daniel Baker received from the Lord to the Parliament, Counsel of State, officers of the Army, Mayor and aldermen of the City, met together the 6th day of this 8th month in the place falsely called Christ-Church in London, which day was set apart for thanksgiving, but proved a day of persecution, and voluptuous feasting, to the grief of Gods spirit. Also a letter from Daniel Baker, to the Mayor and recorder of London. Published by Thomas Hart. London: printed for Thomas Simmons, at the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate, 1659. ESTC No. R9326. Grub Street ID 129422.
  • B., D.. Yet one warning more, to thee O England: together with a very tender lamentation with bowels of compassion & mourning, yet over thee O land. By one through whom the eternal, powerful, and heavenly voice, is uttered and sounded forth as a trumpet, ... For the testimony of the innocency of our Lord Jesus, and for the elects sake -- a prisoner I am in Worcester city-gaol, this 9th. month, the 16th. day, and of the year accounted 1660. D.B. London: printed for Robert Wilson, 1660. ESTC No. R28335. Grub Street ID 111414.
  • B., D.. The guiltless cries and warnings of the innocent: against injustice, oppression, cruelty; false-swearers, envious men, and such like witnesses, arisen up against a plain man. Or, a living and true witnesse condemned, through want of sound (yet through unjust) judgment. together with the unequall and unreasonable proceedings of Humphry Wildey, Mayor; and Edward Solley, and Robert Sollers, aldermen, and justices of the city Worcester, as may plainly appear by what followeth: besides the unjust sufferings of the guiltlesse. ... From the hand, mouth, and very heart of a true friend, and not an enemy to the person, or well-being of any man, woman, or childe, ... I am, called by men Daniel Baker, by scorners, a Quaker. [London]: Printed for R. Wilson, at the black-spread-Eagle in Martins, 1660. ESTC No. R22840. Grub Street ID 101086.
  • B., D.. In nuperam horrendam Montis Ætnæ eruptionem, carmen. Authore D.B. Londini,: Typis G.G. & Impensis Mosis Pitt in Parva Britania., M DC LXX [1670]. ESTC No. R172628. Grub Street ID 66442.
  • B., D.. The Protestant guide: or, a seasonable help to devotion, containing morning and evening-prayers for every day in the week; and thanksgivings for those manifold mercies lately extended to this land and nation; particularly a prayer for His most excellent Majesty George, (By the grace of God) King of Great Britain, &c. As also a short catechism, on aining [sic] the sound principles of the true reformed church: with graces before and after meat. Likewise the excellent sayings of the acient Fathers, for the better strengt[h]ning us in the Christian faith. Lic[e]nsed according to Order. [London]: Printed by T. Norris, and sold by the booksellers of London-Bridge and Pye-Corner, [1715?]. ESTC No. T73956. Grub Street ID 297139.
  • B., D.. Sir, yesterday died here of a mortal wound, at the late battle of Thornhausen, the late commander of the British forces his last and true, will, dated three hours after the battle. London: printed at the request of true British spirit, 1759. ESTC No. T207257. Grub Street ID 236532.
  • B., D.. A picture drawn from life, Cubbyhill and his daft wife. A poem. - By D.B. [Newcastle]: Angus, printer, [1774 - 1825]. ESTC No. N71336. Grub Street ID 51620.