How This Enigmatic Organization in London Held a Monopoly Over Publishing for Centuries Image from an Almanac printed by Stationers' Company When we think about printing today, most of us have a few historical references such as Bi Sheng’s invention of porcelain movable type in China during the Song Dynasty (ca. 1040 AD), or  the later invention of the metal movable printing press, which led to the Gutenberg Bible printing in 1455. We also often think of printers in Colonial America such as Benjamin Franklin or Thomas Paine. Lesser known however,  is the monumentally important Stationers’ Company  of London, which fundamentally changed the relationship between writer and audience, controlled publishing for hundreds of years in Europe, and established Anglo copyright law.    Originally named the  Worshipful Company of Stationers & Newspaper Makers , the modern-day Stationers’ Company , existed in some form or another since the 14th Century in London and still exists today. Originally a guild of bookmakers, the Company's hall at Ave Maria Lane, dates back to 1670 and is actually the second location, as the Great Fire of London burned the original building down. [i]   Illustration of Stationers' Hall by Thomas H. Shepherd, Engraved by W. Watkins (c.1700)   What we now know as the  Stationers’ Company  was formed in 1403, when the guild of stationers, book sellers, book binders and vendors of parchment, quills, and other supplies became very large, producing significant revenue. The 1476 introduction of printing in London added many new printers to the company, and it was given a Royal Charter in 1557, granting them the right to create a livery company   in 1559. [ii] The City of London’s Companies are collectively known as “The Livery.” They were first formed in the medieval period as guilds or groups of tradesmen and tradeswomen who joined together to protect, promote and regulate their trades along with the money they could charge. The Livery is composed of 111 companies in London, each representing their own craft or trade. [iii] Without overstating the presence of women in the livery companies or guilds, it is important to note that they are often incorrectly assumed to be exclusively male; women were present and not specifically barred from membership. During the late medieval period, women played significant roles in the work of guilds generally, and specifically the Stationers’ Company in its early form, even before the organization became an official livery company in 1557. Women could become members and operate within the guild under several specific circumstances which included widows taking over family businesses, the daughters of existing members, and orphaned girls and indentured female servants. [iv]     Widows could eventually become "free" of the Company, meaning they were granted permission to continue their late husband’s business activities within the structure of the guild. Daughters of male members could also join, often by taking over when needed or marrying into the trade. While they might not have had full membership like men, their contributions were crucial to the family business's continuity and success. [v] Finally, orphaned girls could be taken in and apprenticed through the Stationers' Company. These girls were often indentured servants, and trained in various aspects of the trade, such as bookbinding, bookselling, or even managing the business. Once their apprenticeship was completed and the terms of indenture satisfied, some of these women achieved a degree of independence or even full membership, though their roles were often constrained by societal norms. [vi]   The involvement of women highlights the economic and social complexities of early modern guild structures, where family connections and inheritance played essential roles in business operations. Despite the limitations imposed by gender roles and laws of the time, these pathways offered women opportunities to engage in the trade of printing and influence the book industry in London.   While historians access archives to learn about this literary cartel that is now more than 600 years old, there may still be more to understand regarding their overall impact and how they operated in the past. Numerous scholars are still poring over their massive archives to leave no stone unturned. A digital archive of The Stationers’ Company in London ( Literary Print Culture: The Stationers’ Company Archive 1554–2007 ), consists of the following categories of materials:   An archival document from the Stationers' Company, the Company barge, the Company crest. ·      The Entry Book of Copies:  From 1554 – 1842, this was used to establish copyright, which would belong to publishers, and later to authors until automatic copyright was introduced in 1912. A 1709 Copyright Act meant that these registers became the official record of copyrights.   ·      The Membership Records,  also starting in the 1500s provide invaluable biographical information on printers and publishers, as well as individual members of the Stationers’ Company.   ·      The Court Records,  dating from 1600, are used to understand the inner workings of the company, and are referenced in combination with the Entry Book of Copies to date texts, editions, etc. There are also detailed records of apprenticeship bindings and other internal matters of the various businesses in the guild.   ·      The English Stock  documents, also dating from around 1600, give insight into the publishing arm of the Stationers’ Company, especially the patent system which granted them a monopoly for so long while they held patents on such items as almanacs, psalters, primers, etc.   ·      Finally, is the section in the archive that contains Photographs & Treasurer’s Vouchers. [vii]   Many notable authors of the Renaissance and Early Modern period had their works published or registered with the Company, often because it was required by law for publishers to register books in order to claim copyright. Here is a short list of some of the most important figures:   ·      William Shakespeare (1564-1616):  Several of Shakespeare’s works were printed by members of the Stationers’ Company, and his First Folio (1623), compiled by John Hemings and Henry Condell, was registered with the Company. [viii]   ·      Christopher Marlowe (1564-1593): Known for plays like  Doctor Faustus  and  Tamburlaine the Great , Marlowe's works were also printed and circulated with involvement from Stationers' Company members. [ix]   ·      Ben Jonson (1572-1637): Jonson's collected works were the first to be published in folio format in 1616, reflecting the literary prestige often associated with Stationers' Company involvement. [x]   ·      Edmund Spenser (1552-1599): The Faerie Queene , one of the most significant poems of the Elizabethan era, was published in association with the Stationers' Company. [xi]   ·      John Milton (1608-1674): Milton's  Paradise Lost  (1667) and  Areopagitica  (1644), the latter a pamphlet opposing censorship, highlight the evolving relationship between authors and the publishing authorities regulated by the Company. [xii]   ·      Thomas Nashe (1567-1601): A satirical writer and playwright, Nashe's controversial works often drew the scrutiny of the Stationers' Company and regulatory authorities. [xiii]   ·      Robert Greene (1558-1592): An early English novelist and dramatist whose works were also printed by Stationers' Company members. [xiv] ·      Thomas Dekker (c. 1572-1632): A playwright known for his vivid depictions of London life; works like  The Shoemaker’s Holiday  were registered with the Company. [xv]   ·      John Donne (1572-1631): A metaphysical poet whose sermons and poetry were published by printers affiliated with the Stationers' Company. [xvi]   ·      Thomas Middleton (1580-1627): A prolific playwright whose works, such as  The Changeling  (co-authored with William Rowley), were printed by members of the guild. [xvii]   These authors represent a critical intersection between literature and the early regulation of print culture in London. The Stationers' Company was pivotal in shaping literary dissemination, with many of the period's most important works passing through their hands. Dominating London’s book trade for over 200 years, during the 16th and 17th centuries, the Stationers’ Company eventually lost its monopoly over printing and production but retained a lucrative position in the book through stock in their publishing venture, known as “English Stock.” [xviii]   The role of the Stationers’ Company cannot be overstated in the study of the history of the book, printing and publishing history, copyright history and the workings of a London Livery company. The Stationers’ Company was comprised of a large group of London’s premier printers and publishers, as well as thousands of lesser-known men and women who were printers, publishers, book binders, typefounders, compositors and book sellers. Finally, as we look at the role of women in the workplace throughout history, knowing that women were printers, book binders and business owners going back towards the end of the Medieval period is crucial to our shared history.    Notes [i]   "The Stationers’ Company,” Literary Print Culture, The Stationers’ Company Archive , Adam Matthew Digital Ltd, 25 May 2018, https://www.literaryprintculture.amdigital.co.uk/ .  [ii]   "The Stationers’ Company,” https://www.literaryprintculture.amdigital.co.uk/ .  [iii]  Paul D. Jagger, “Diversity And Inclusion Among The City and Its Livery Companies,” City and Livery, September 14, 2016 , https://cityandlivery.blogspot.com/ . [iv]  Maureen Bell,  Women in the English Book Trade 1557–1700  (Oxford: Bibliographical Society, 1996), 14–16. [v]  Helen Smith,  Grossly Material Things: Women and Book Production in Early Modern England  (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012), 37–40. [vi]  D.F. McKenzie,  Stationers’ Company Apprentices, 1605–1640  (Oxford: Bibliographical Society, 1961), 45–47. [vii]   "Nature and Scope,” Literary Print Culture, The Stationers’ Company Archive , Adam Matthew Digital Ltd, 25 May 2018, https://www.literaryprintculture.amdigital.co.uk/ .  [viii]  E.K. Chambers,  William Shakespeare: A Study of Facts and Problems  (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1930), 252. [ix]  Charles Nicholl,  The Reckoning: The Murder of Christopher Marlowe  (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992), 178. [x]  Ian Donaldson,  Ben Jonson: A Life  (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011), 317. [xi]  Andrew Hadfield,  Edmund Spenser: A Life  (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012), 222. [xii]  Barbara K. Lewalski,  The Life of John Milton  (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2003), 145. [xiii]  Jonathan Dollimore,  Radical Tragedy: Religion, Ideology, and Power in the Drama of Shakespeare and His Contemporaries  (Durham: Duke University Press, 2004), 92. [xiv]  Stephen Greenblatt,  Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare  (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, 2004), 112. [xv]  Peter Womack,  English Renaissance Drama  (Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2006), 187. [xvi] John Carey,  John Donne: Life, Mind and Art  (London: Faber & Faber, 1981), 210. [xvii]  Gary Taylor and John Lavagnino, Thomas Middleton: The Collected Works (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 2007), 58 [xviii]  “Print, Profit and People: An Exhibition,” The City of London Livery Company for the Communications and Content Industries, The Stationers Company, 12 April, 2018, https://www.stationers.org/company/archive/print-profit-and-people-an-exhibition .

Charles Baudelaire wrote, "A book is a garden, an orchard, a storehouse, a party, a company by the way, a counselor, a multitude of counselors." What we think of as revolutionary "books" have often actually appeared as pamphlets, rather than physical books, such as Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" or the 1889 work "The Narrative of Bethany Veney, A Slave Woman" ( The American Antiquarian Society ). Pamphlets may be compared to the modern-day "Zine" for their accessible size, lack of a hardcover, and cost, simply enabling the author to put their words on paper and get the word out. In earlier centuries, many authors took to the press themselves, or personally paid for the printing so that they could be heard, whether the message was politically revolutionary, or the author was revolutionary because they had no access to publishing. Of course, race and gender have served as major obstacles to publishing, and in many cases, still do today. In 1917, Hogarth Press was founded by Virginia Woolf, so that she could produce Mrs. Dalloway. 1 In 1931, Irma Rombauer self-published her own book when she could not get any interest from a publisher. She worked on weekends with her daughter to hand-make the artwork and create the layout for The Joy of Cooking . She sold all of the copies of the resulting 3000-piece print run for one dollar each. This book is now in the 9th Edition and is one of America's most popular cookbooks, selling over 20 million copies.2 The newest explosion of self-publishing is more than just a trend—it's still a revolution—in creative empowerment. Just as self-promoted artists have broken free from the constraints or erasure of major companies, writers and creatives of all kinds can now bypass the traditional gatekeepers of the academy, publishing houses, Hollywood, and big music labels. This is your moment to seize the tools of creation and distribution, and to share your voice with the world on your own terms. Large-scale successful self-published books like Andy Weir’s The Martian , which was later adapted into a blockbuster film, and E.L. James’s Fifty Shades of Grey , which became a global phenomenon, demonstrate that self-publishing can lead to significant commercial success as well. These successes echo the way independent musicians have gained fame through platforms like SoundCloud and Bandcamp, proving that in today’s digital age, creators in all fields can build their own paths to success without relying on traditional gatekeepers. You do not need permission from a select few to tell your story, share your knowledge, or showcase your art. Self-publishing always has and still does offer the freedom to amplify voices often excluded from the mainstream—voices that challenge the status quo, bring fresh perspectives, and reflect the diversity of human experience. Whether you're an indie author, an out-of-the-box thinker, or a visionary artist, the power is in your hands to build an audience and achieve success on your own terms. Join the revolution, take control of your creative destiny, and let your unique story resonate across the globe. If you would like help bringing your project to life in any form, self-published or not, contact us at Polyprintdesign ( fb@polyprintdesign.com ). Books are Forever! _______ 1Modernist Archives Publishing Project 2 "The Genius of the Joy of Cooking" . Mental Floss . 2010-01-02.

The Iconography of Manhattan Island, 1498–1909. Compiled from Original Sources and Illustrated by Photo-Intaglio Reproductions of Important Maps, Plans, Views, and Documents in Public and Private Collections . 6 vols.New York: R. H. Dodd, 1915–1928. _________________________ Pictured here is an original and highly collectible rare set of six volumes (with a picture of the inset foldout map) entitled  The Iconography of Manhattan Island , compiled by Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes. I was introduced to the idea for this blog post by my professor, Francis Marrone, in an NYU historic preservation class. As a New Yorker and a book enthusiast, I’m excited to offer a brief introduction to these remarkable books and their connection to our beautiful city. In addition to being a philanthropist and preservationist, I.N. Phelps Stokes was an architect and historian of New York City. He designed many significant buildings, including St. Paul’s Chapel at Columbia University. Completed in 1928,  The Iconography of Manhattan Island  remains, as architect Norval White (1926–2009) once declared, “the most exhaustive record of a built place ever attempted, let alone fulfilled.” Stokes is said to have had a near obsession with mapping Manhattan from the time of the first Dutch colony, and after nearly 20 years of exhaustive (emotionally, financially, and logistically) research, he completed the project. His first edition print run yielded 402 sets of the six volumes (360 sets printed on Holland-made paper and 42 on Japanese vellum). A note inside the book mentions that some of the printing paper is of English origin rather than Holland, apologizing for paper shortages that occurred during WWI. An original set resides at the New York Public Library, with a hand-penned note from Stokes himself. However, despite its magnificence,  The Iconography  is often treated more as an encyclopedia and referenced as such by some writers, rather than gaining the status of a rare book. 1 Stokes and his team spent a large portion of their time tracking down materials for the book, using worldwide public collections of maps and various unusual sources to compose  The Iconography . It describes the growth of a fortified Dutch colony through British colonization, evolving into what is now New York City. The project expanded over time to fill six volumes, containing stories about both humble individuals and more familiar heroic figures. It is often noted that Stokes spent most of his fortune recovering the history of Manhattan’s built environment for this project. As documented on the website dedicated to this book, Manhattan's Icon (https://manhattansicon.com) , Volumes I-V are topographical materials which are accompanied by essays by Stokes, and the last volume, VI, is Stokes' annotated bibliography, or a "New York City researcher's dream." The books include a list of “all known maps—including those thought to be lost—of Manhattan through the seventeenth century,” a “Check-List” of “Early New York Newspapers (1725–1811),” and unparalleled social history chronologies. Francis Marrone says of Stokes’ work, “ Iconography  is a different form of historical work altogether: an expert gathering and sifting of primary materials, the likes of which we will never see again.” 2 If you happen to be planning a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, perhaps with family or after a leisurely brunch, you may find yourself in the American Wing. There, you’ll see a portrait of Isaac Newton Phelps Stokes standing alongside (or rather, slightly behind and in the shadow of) his wife Edith Minturn Stokes, painted by John Singer Sargent in 1897. Both Stokes and his wife came from wealthy families, but as a couple, they championed progressive causes and identified as socialists. Edith, a strong feminist, was particularly outspoken for her time. 3 Reflecting on his life, Stokes remarked somewhat somberly in his memoir about his dedication to  The Iconography , “I now realize that it involved an expenditure of time, energy, and money, which was probably out of proportion to the results achieved, and consumed many hours which should have been devoted not only to my office, but to my family, and to social amenities, so that, on the whole, I suspect that it has proved a rather selfish, perhaps even a narrowing, influence on my life.” (I.N. Phelps Stokes, from his 1941 memoir,  Random Recollections of a Happy Life ) ________________________ 1 White, Norval. "A City Bookshelf." The New York Times Books: (September, 7, 1997). https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/books/97/09/07/home/newyork.html . 2 Manhattan's Icon, I.N Phelps Stokes and the Chronicle of a City. https://manhattansicon.com 3 Martinez, Hezra. "The True Love Story Behind an Iconic John Singer Sargent Painting." The Archive: (May 14, 2019). https://explorethearchive.com/love-fiercely-excerpt.

Many people far more knowledgeable on this subject than I have weighed in on how to define zines and zine culture. Responses from those who are actually experts in the genre can be quite prickly at times because the term “zine” is often co-opted. It’s used to describe all manner of printing, from the slickest advertising-oriented booklets and art catalogues to, yes, even blogs that have been called “online zines.” Well, that’s just wrong, and it devalues the contributions of activists who have worked tirelessly, producing zines on their own, with their own funds, to get the word out quickly and inexpensively. In the years I’ve been in business as a printer, I have been honored to facilitate the creative work of printing zines for a few of those who write them. A zine writer is the ultimate self-publisher. And these days, when someone asks if I can “price out a zine” they’ve made, I get a little suspicious, if not distrustful. If it’s a real zine, yay, I’m happy to help, even though most zines are not printed on an offset press—even if it's super inexpensive with just black ink and the most basic paper. Traditionally, modern zines have been made on copiers, and before that, some were made on mimeograph machines. In this blog entry, I will attempt to give the reader a sense of what makes a zine a zine, a little history, an intro to some remarkable, groundbreaking zines, and where to find both old and new zines. The term “zine” is short for magazine. They typically have a small circulation and are comprised of black-and-white text and images. They are a counter-culture product born of necessity, amplifying voices that would not otherwise be heard in a mainstream format—or at all in many cases. Jenna Freedman, Librarian and Coordinator of the Zine Library at Barnard College, wrote what she sees as the key characteristics of zines: ·       Self-published, and the publisher doesn’t answer to anyone ·       Small, self-distributed print run ·       Motivated by a desire to express oneself rather than make money ·       Outside the mainstream ·       Low budget For the sake of this discussion, I will add: ·       No need for any special equipment or knowledge ·       Portable ·       An expression of independent, DIY (Do It Yourself) culture ·       Fosters a community among its creators and readers [i] Some see early fanzines/comics as part of the zine movement. In the 1930s, the science fiction fandom community began to produce publications. The Comet, published in 1930 by the Science Correspondence Club in Chicago, is often cited as the first science fiction fanzine. It was an outlet for fans to share stories, opinions, and critiques, fostering a sense of community and shared interest. In the 1940s and 1950s, the concept of fanzines expanded, becoming a staple in various fandoms, including comic books and music. These publications often contained fan fiction, letters, artwork, and editorials. [ii] In truth, a large portion of the most important zines have been written by women due to marginality, and this particularly applies to Women of Color. In the 1960s and 1970s, counter-culture movements produced more radical, political zines, including numerous publications written by women of color. These early zines, newsletters, and pamphlets laid the groundwork for the zine movements of the 1980s and beyond. They were often tied to larger social justice and liberation movements, addressing the particular challenges faced by women of color while advocating for radical change across race, class, and gender lines. Germinal political zines and newsletters written by women of color emerged in the 1970s from the roots of radical feminist, Black, Indigenous, Latinx, and queer thought and movement-building. [iii]  These include publications such as: ·       Third World Women's Alliance (TWWA) Newsletter (1971–1980) focused on anti-imperialism, racial oppression, and gender justice. ·       The Black Woman (1970) featured writers like Audre Lorde and explored the intersections of race and gender. ·       Azalea: A Magazine by Third World Lesbians (1977–1983) focused on queer women of color. ·       Chrysalis: A Magazine of Women’s Culture (1977–1980). ·       The Black Panther Newspaper Women’s Pages (late 1960s–1970s) featured writing on sexism within the movement. ·       Encuentro Femenil (1973–1974), the first Chicana feminist journal in the U.S., focused on labor, educational reform, and intersectionality. ·       Women: A Journal of Liberation (1969–1977) featured women of color, including Indigenous, Black, and other marginalized communities. ·       Combahee River Collective Statement (1977), a foundational pamphlet that called for an intersectional approach to race, gender, and class. ·       Voices of Women (1970–1971) published by the Puerto Rican Socialist Party, analyzing colonization, patriarchy, and the role of women in socialist struggles. ·       Conditions: Five, The Black Women's Issue (1979), an essential publication for Black feminists, helping to define the early contours of what would later be called intersectionality. Lesbian feminist zines were primarily a project for and by white women, generally lacking an analysis of race and class, and focusing instead on gender oppression. They emerged in the 1970s during a period in feminism often criticized for the overt exclusion of women of color and the absence of intersectionality. That said, over time, some of these publications became somewhat more inclusive. Important political zines that brought attention to lesbian culture and lives include: ·       The Ladder (1956–1972), published by the Daughters of Bilitis, the first lesbian civil rights organization in the U.S. ·       The Furies (1972–1973), published by a lesbian feminist collective in Washington, D.C., focused on the intersection of lesbianism, feminism, and socialism. ·       Lesbian Tide (1971–1980), one of the most prominent lesbian feminist publications from Los Angeles, covering issues of lesbian visibility, rights, and activism. ·       Dyke: A Quarterly (1975–1979), an artistic and political zine centered on lesbian identity, sexuality, and culture. ·       Amazon Quarterly (1972–1975), a literary and arts zine produced by a feminist lesbian collective in California, featuring feminist writing, art, and theory. ·       Ain’t I A Woman? (1970–1974), though more broadly feminist, focused strongly on lesbian and radical feminist perspectives, with a title inspired by the famous speech by Sojourner Truth, a revolutionary, formerly enslaved Black woman. In further posts about Zines, I hope to explore others issue areas and time frames that take us to the Zine culture of today. Meanwhile, check out some of these resources to research zines old and new: https://zinewiki.com/wiki/The_Factsheet_Five_Zine_Reader https://archive.org/details/zines https://www.loc.gov/collections/zine-web-archive/about-this-collection/ https://gittings.qzap.org/dyke-manifesto/ https://www.vpl.ca/collection/zine-collection https://zines.barnard.edu __________________________ [i]   https://zines.barnard.edu/zines-are-not-blogs [ii]   https://blogs.lib.unc.edu/rbc/2017/10/25/a-brief-history-of-zines/ [iii]  The Subcultures Network, ed.  Ripped, Torn and Cut: Pop, Politics and Punk Fanzines from 1976 . Manchester University Press, 2018. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctv18b5q46 .