Publications of John Brindley

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 John Brindley

  • Vanbrugh, John. The provok'd wife. A comedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Drury-Lane. Written by Sir John Vanbrugh. London: printed by J. Brindley in New Bond-Street; T. Longman, C. Hitch and L. Hawes, S. Crowder and Co. in Pater-Noster-Row; G. Kearsly, in Ludgate-Street; C. Corbett, and T. Lounds, in Fleet-Street, MDCCLXI. [1761]. ESTC No. T119866. Grub Street ID 171213.

Sold by John Brindley

  • Haywood, Eliza. The Parrot. By Mrs. Prattle. London [England]: printed and sold by Tho. Edlin, at the Prince's-Arms, over-against Exeter-Exchange in the Strand, and at his shop in St. Mary's Passage in St. James's Park, sold by J. Roberts in Warwick-Lane, A. Dodd without Temple-Bar, E. Nutt at the Royal-Exchange, J. Jackson in Pall-Mall, J. Brindley and J. Smith near Hanover-Square. Where advertisements are taken in, [1728]. ESTC No. P220. Grub Street ID 55904.
  • The miseries of goals, and the cruelty of goalers. Being a narrative of several persons now under confinement. London: printed for Tho. Payne, in Lovel's-Court in Pater-Noster Row; and sold by John Clarke in Duck-Lane, and John Brindley in Bond-Street, near Hanover-Square, M.DCC.XXIX. [1729]. ESTC No. T125310. Grub Street ID 175457.
  • Woodcock, John. Measuring compleated; By a New Set of decimal tables accurately calculated. And Explained in the most Easy and Familiar Manner. Wherein Is shewn by Inspection the Content of any Superficial or Solid whatever, to the Ten Thousandth Part of a Foot, Yard, or Rod: Also tables shewing at one View the Duodecimals equal to any given Decimal Parts. With a preface, demonstrating the great Ease and Usefulness of these tables beyond Duodecimals, or any other. The whole made compleat to answer all the Occasions of Gentlemen and Artificers, (as Masons, Bricklayers, Carpenters, Joiners, Sawyers, Glaziers, Plaisterers, and Pavers, &c.) in the most Easy and Exact Method, far beyond any Thing yet extant, the Dimensions being taken to a quarter of an Inch both in Length and Breadth, &c. By John Woodcock. London: printed and sold by J. Brindley in New Bond-Street; J. Stagg in Westminster-Hall; J. Oswald in the Poultry; J. Clark, and H. Whitridge, under the Royal-Exchange; and T. Payne in Bishopsgate-Street, 1738. ESTC No. T39082. Grub Street ID 268439.

Printed for John Brindley

  • Holland, Richard. Observations on the small pox, by the late learned Dr. Friend, Dr. Morton, Dr. Cade, Dr. Sydenham, Dr. Fuller. Or, an essay to discover a more efectual method of cure than has hitherto been found out. To which are now added, a short view of the nature and cure of the small pox. ... By Richard Holland, ... London: printed for John Brindley; and sold by Mess. Innys, Birt, Hitch, Longman, and Seuel, Manby, and Shute Cox; [and 2 others in London, and 1 at York], 1746. ESTC No. N41744. Grub Street ID 28096.
  • Holland, Richard. Observations on the small pox: or, an essay to discover a more effectual method of cure. By Richard Holland, M.D. Fellow of the College of Physicians and the Royal Society. London: printed for John Brindley, Bookbinder to the Majesty, at the King's Arms in New-Bond-Street, 1728. ESTC No. N10081. Grub Street ID 93.
  • Haywood, Eliza. Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lunenburgh. A tragedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. By Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed for W. Mears at the Lamb without Temple-Bar, J. Brindley at the King's Arms in New-Bond-Street; and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1729. ESTC No. T82803. Grub Street ID 303370.
  • Haywood, Eliza. Frederick, Duke of Brunswick-Lunenburgh. A tragedy. As it is acted at the Theatre-Royal in Lincoln's-Inn-Fields. By Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: Printed for W. Mears at the Lamb without Temple-Bar, J. Brindley at the King’s Arms in new Bond-Street; and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1729. ESTC No. T82804. Grub Street ID 303371.
  • Haywood, Eliza. Persecuted virtue: or, the cruel lover. A true secret history. Writ at the request of a lady of quality. London: Printed for J. Brindley in New Bond-street, Mr. Whitridge at the Royal Exchange, and sold by the booksellers and pamphlet-shops of London and Westminster, 1729. ESTC No. N20113. Grub Street ID 9519.
  • Haywood, Eliza. The city widow: A novel. London: printed for J. Brindley, and sold by W. Meadows, T. Worral, and by the booksellers and pamphlet shops of London and Westminster, 1729. ESTC No. N47368. Grub Street ID 32063.
  • Eales, Mary. The compleat confectioner: or, the art of candying and preserving in its utmost perfection. Being a collection of all the receipts of the late ingenious Mrs. Eales, confectioner to their late Majesties King William and Queen Anne. ... London: printed for J. Brindley; and R. Mountagu [sic], 1733. ESTC No. N27767. Grub Street ID 17008.
  • Greaves, John. Miscellaneous works of Mr. John Greaves, professor of Astronomy in the University of Oxford: Many of which are now first Published. I. Pyramidographia; or a Description of the Pyramids in Egypt. With a great many Additions and Alterations, from a Copy corrected by the Author. II. A discourse of the Roman foot, and Denarius; from whence, as from two Principles, the Measures and Weights used by the Ancients may be deduced. III. Tracts upon various subjects, Letters, Poems, and Observations in his Travels in Italy, Turky, and Egypt. IV. A description of the Grand Seignor's seraglio. To which are added, I. Reflections on the Pyramidographia, written by an anonymous Author, soon after the Publication of that Book. II. A Dissertation upon the Sacred Cubit of the Jews, and the Cubits of the several Nations; in which, from the Dimensions of the greatest Egyptian Pyramid, as taken by Mr. Greaves, the antient Cubit of Memphis is determined. Translated from the Latin of Sir Isaac Newton, Not yet . London: printed by J. Hughs, near Lincoln's-Inn-Fields, for J. Brindley, Bookseller to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, in New-Bond-Street; and C. Corbett, over-against St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet-Street, 1737. ESTC No. N5177. Grub Street ID 35762.
  • An ode, Most Humbly Inscrib'd to His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, on his Birth-Day, Saturday, January 20th, 1738-9. London: printed for J. Brindley, at the King's-Arms in New Bond-Street; sold by Mrs. Dodd, at the Peacock, without Temple-Bar; and by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1739. ESTC No. N10542. Grub Street ID 554.
  • The great importance of Cape Breton, demonstrated and exemplified, by extracts from the best writers, French and English, who have treated of that Colony. The Whole containing, besides the most accurate Descriptions of the Place, a Series of the Arguments that induced the French Court to settle and fortify it; the Plan laid down for making the Establishment, and the great Progress made in Execution of that Plan: With the Reasons that induced the People of New-England to subdue this formidable and dangerous Rival, and that should determine the British Nation never to part with it again, on any Consideration whatever. In this pamphlet is included all that Father Charlevoix says of this island in his celebrated History of New-France, lately published, in Three Volumes in Quarto, and Savary, in his Dictionary of Commerce, (a new Edition of which was not long since published, in French likewise, in Four Volumes Folio.) Also additional remarks by the compiler, with a map and plan from Charle. London: printed for John Brindley, Bookseller to his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, at the Feathers and General-Post-Office in New Bond-Street; and sold by C. Corbett, in Fleet street; M. Cooper, in Pater-Noster-Row; and by the booksellers and pamphlet shops of London and Westminster, MDCCXLVI. [1746]. ESTC No. N18024. Grub Street ID 7497.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by John Brindley

  • Haywood, Eliza. Love-Letters on all occasions lately passed between persons of distinction. Collected by Mrs. Eliza Haywood. London: printed for and sold by John Brindley, at the Kings Arms in New Bond-Street; Robert Willock in Cornhill; John Jackson in Pall-Mall; John Penn in Westminster-Hall; Francis Cogan at the Middle Temple Gate, Fleetstreet, 1730. ESTC No. T75394. Grub Street ID 298120.
  • Josephus, Flavius. A compleat collection of the genuine works of Flavius Josephus, faithfully translated from the original Greek, and compared with the translation of Sir Roger L'Estrange, Knight. ... To which are prefix'd, several remarks and observations upon the writings of Josephus. By H. Jackson. Gent. ... London: printed and sold by J. Brindley, J. Worral, O. Payne, J. Jolliffe, W. Shropshire, C. Corbett, and Mr. Norton; as likewise by Messieurs Rogers and Cooper, 1736. ESTC No. T106245. Grub Street ID 159413.