Publications of Messrs. 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 the seller and printer roles in combination, or an absence of the printer's name following "London: printed:" or "London: printed,":

  1. "printed and sold by x"; or "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x"; or "printed: and sold by x"; or "printed, and sold by x";  and so on.

On this last point, trade publishers may seem to have "printed" or "published" the work, though they did not own the copyright. The lists below reflect only the information on the imprint, except where ESTC provides extra information.

See also "The Meaning of the Imprint."

Printed by Messrs. W.

  • Inchbald, Elizabeth. I'll tell you what. A comedy, in five acts, as it is performed at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket. By Mrs. Inchbald. Dublin: printed by Messrs. W. Watson, Chamberlaine, Potts, Williams, Burnet, Colles, Wilkinson, Gilbert, Wilson, Jenkin, White, Burton, Beatty, Wogan, Cash, Byrne, H. Whitestone, Sleater, Perrin, W. Porter, Lewis, Heery, Jones, and Halpen, MDCCLXXXVII. [1787]. ESTC No. T28334. Grub Street ID 259976.

Printed for Messrs. W.

  • Goldsmith, Oliver. The history of England, from the earliest times to the death of George II. By Dr. Goldsmith. In four volumes. Vol. I. Dublin: printed for Messrs. W. Sleater, H. Chamberlaine, J. Potts, W. Colles, R. Moncrieffe, T. Walker, W. Wilson, J. Exshaw, and L. White, M,DCC,LXXXIX. [1789]. ESTC No. N17553. Grub Street ID 7023.