Publications of Joell Stephens

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 Joell Stephens

  • Raleigh, Walter. An introduction to a breviary of the history of England with the reign of King William the I. entitled the Conqueror. Written by Sir Walter Raleigh, Kt. and Dedicated to the then Earl of Salisbury. London: printed by J. Stephens for John Penn in Westminster-Hall, D. Browne at Temple Bar, and W. Meadows in Cornhill, 1728. ESTC No. T130327. Grub Street ID 179477.
  • Henley, John. A lecture on high fits of zeal; or, Mrs. Cadiere's raptures. Flights beyond the Third Heaven, what a Rapture is, and a Religious Rapture; whether Mrs. Cadiere's Transports were Religious, Father Girard's Duty in that Case; what that Joy of Mind and Heart is that is right in Religion, and what is not so, how far Joy is a Test, what were the Raptures of the Apostles and Prophets, whether Heaven will be rapturous, and when it is that the Understanding and Will begin to be Enthusiastic. The Case of a Spiritual Guide decided, and an Answer to the Popish Argument for the Church, that we take the Scripture from the Church, a Point as yet unattempted, and Essential to all Lovers of Devotion. II. Tracts on other subjects, in humane and divine learning. The third edition. By J. Henley, M.A. London: printed by J. Stephens, for David Gardiner in Clement's Inn Passage; to be had at other pamphlet shops, and at the Oratory by Lincoln's Inn-Fields, [1732?]. ESTC No. T103780. Grub Street ID 157388.

Sold by Joell Stephens

  • Davys, Mary. The works of Mrs. Davys: consisting of, plays, novels, poems, and familiar letters. Several of which never before publish'd ... London: printed by H. Woodfall, for the author: and sold by J. Stevens, 1725. ESTC No. T202035. Grub Street ID 233093.

Printed for Joell Stephens

  • G., R.. Instructor clericalis: the first part. Directing clerks both in the Court of King's Bench and Common Pleas, ... With an addition of special notes and observations in the Court of Common Pleas. Alphabetically digested. ... [London]: In the Savoy: printed by the assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq; for Joell Stephens, 1721. ESTC No. T166828. Grub Street ID 204979.
  • G., R.. Instructor clericalis. Directing clerks, in the present practice of the courts of King's bench and Common Pleas. Viz. In the abbreviation and contraction of words, ... With an addition of special notes and observations in the court of Common Pleas, alphabetically digested. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by E. and R. Nutt, and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edw. Sayer Esq;) for Joel Stephens, 1727. ESTC No. N55913. Grub Street ID 39186.
  • Haywood, Eliza. The fruitless enquiry. Being a collection of several entertaining histories and occurrences, which fell under the observation of a lady in her search after happiness. By Mrs. E. Haywood, ... London: printed for J. Stephens, 1727. ESTC No. N3380. Grub Street ID 22242.
  • Nelson, William. Lex testamentaria: or, a compendious system of all the laws of England, as well before the statute of Henry Viii. as since, concerning last wills and testaments. In which are collected, all the Judgments and Resolutions dispers'd in the Year-Books, and all other Reports both in Law and Equity, what Estates in Fee, in Tail, for Life or Years, have been created by Wills either expresly or by Implication. Treating also of all Cases concerning Executory Devises and Legacies. And of all Actions, Pleas, and Judgments, by, for, or against Executors, Administrators, and Guardians. Very necessary for all such who are, or may be, entitled to any Estates by Virtue of any Will or Administration, or as Guardians to Infants. Collected in a more plain, easy, and methodical Manner than hitherto hath been done in any Treatise of this Nature. By Wm Nelson of the Middle-Temple, Esq;. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by E. and R. Nutt and R. Gosling, (assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq;) for Joell Stephens at the Hand and Star between the Two Temple-Gates in Fleet-Street, M.DCC.XXVIII. [1728]. ESTC No. N3616. Grub Street ID 24137.
  • Symbola heroica: or the mottoes of the nobility and baronets of Great-Britain and Ireland; placed alphabetically: Whereby the Proper Owner of any Coat of Arms or Equipage, to which they are fixed, may readily be known. Also A Compleat Alphabetical List of the Nobility of each Kingdom, the Dates of their several Patents or Summons to Parliament, their Chief Seats in the Country, and Places of Residence in Town. With Lists of the Knights of the Order of the Garter, Thistle and Bath, and of the Baronets, referring to their several Mottoes. London: printed for Joel Stephens at the Hand and Star between the Temple-Gates in Fleet-Street, and Richard Wellington at the Dolphin and Crown the Corner of Palsgrave-Head-Court without Temple-Bar, MDCCXXXVI. [1736]. ESTC No. T113846. Grub Street ID 165711.
  • Rules and orders of the courts of King's-bench and common-pleas. From the 1st. of King William, to trinity term the 10th. of King George the second. Together with an abstract of the acts of parliament. Relating to the practice and practicers of the law. [London]: printed by E. Nutt, and R. Gosling (assigns of Edward Sayer, Esq;) for Joel Stephens; and Tho. Gamul, 1736. ESTC No. N48738. Grub Street ID 33223.
  • Rules, orders and notices, in the Court of Common Pleas at Westminster: From the 35th of King Henry VI. to Hilary Term the 15th of King George II. 1741. Carefully Examined by the Originals; With proper Notes and References: And a Compleat Table to the Whole. [London]: In the Savoy: printed by Henry Lintot, (assignee of Edward Sayer, Esq;) for J. Stephens, at the Hand and Star in Fleet street; J. Worrall, at the Dove in Bell-Yard; C. Ward and R. Chandler, at the Ship without Temple-Bar; J. Wood, at the End of Pope's Head Alley in Cornhill; and T. Waller, in the Middle-Temple Cloysters, M.DCC.XLII. [1742] [1743]. ESTC No. N12909. Grub Street ID 2878.
  • Reports and cases of practice in the Court of Common Pleas, in the reigns of Queen Anne, King George I. and King George II. By a late eminent hand. ... [London]: In the Savoy: printed by Henry Lintot, (assignee of Edward Sayer,Esq;) for J. Stephens; J. Worrall; T. Waller, and W. Sandby, 1747. ESTC No. N65866. Grub Street ID 47672.