▪ I. stationer1
(ˈsteɪʃənə(r))
Also 4 statiner, 5 stacyener, stacyonere, 5–6 stacioner, 6 stacyoner.
[ad. L. statiōnārius (see stationary), in med.L. used subst. for a tradesman (chiefly, a bookseller) who has a station or shop, as distinguished from an itinerant vendor. Cf. early Sp. estacionario bookseller, It. † stazioniere shopkeeper.
The direct adoption of the Latin word is accounted for by the fact that in the Middle Ages booksellers with a regular ‘station’ or shop were rare except at the universities; the typical example of such a trader was the stationarius licensed and controlled by the academic authorities, whom he was sworn to obey.]
1. † a. A bookseller; in wider sense, one engaged in any of the trades connected with books (cf. quot. 1625). Obs.
† flying stationer, running stationer: see the ppl. adjs.
| [1262 Memoranda Roll 45 & 46 Hen. III, m. 9 b, Mandatum est vicecomiti quod venire [faciat]..Reginaldum stacionarium Oxoniensem ad respondendum Ricardo Brun de Rowell', clerico de scaccario, de I codice precii .xx. s. quem ei debet, et iniuste detinet, vt dicit.] 1393–4 Rolls of Parlt. III. 326/1 Statiners & Bokebynders del dit Universite [of Cambridge]. c 1440 Jacob's Well 27 And alle þo, þat makyn statutys aȝens þe fredam of holy cherch, & alle wryteres of swyche statutes, & stacionerys. c 1440 Promp. Parv. 471/2 Stacyonere, or he þat sellythe bokys, stacionarius, bibliopola. 1479–81 Rec. St. Mary at Hill (1905) 101 Item, payd to a Stacioner for the grete Antyphoner, and for a quayer of clene stuffe sette into the same [etc.], xxij s. ij d. 1496–7 Ibid. 226 Item, to the Stacyener for settyng of all the new feestes in to the bookes that lakkyd them. 1529 J. Taverner in Arber Transcr. Stationers' Reg. (1875) II. 8 Item I gyue and bequeth vnto my crafte of Stacioners vj s. viij d. 1560 J. Daus tr. Sleidane's Comm. 33 b, He commaundeth also his Bokes should be brent, appoyntynge a greate penaltie herafter for the Stationers [orig. librariis]. 1572 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Eliz. (1908) 161 To the stacyoner for a lidger booke. 1612 Rowlands Knaue of Harts 29, I grieue thou hast a groate to buy this Booke:..I hate the Printer if he haue done well, And Stationer, that doth these humours sell. 1625 Wither Scholars Purg. 116 An honest Stationer is he that exercizeth his Mystery (whether it be in printing, bynding or selling of Bookes) with more respect to the glory of God..then to his owne commodity. 1626 F. Moryson Shakespeare's Europe v. i. (1903) 429 This one Vniversity [sc. Bologna] indeede hath two Academies, one of the nations beyonde the mountaynes, the other of those on that syde the Alpes... The Stationers are Chosen by three Citramontans, and three Vltramontans. 1679–88 Moneys Secr. Serv. Chas. II & Jas. II (Camden) 98 To Anne, relict and ex'trix of Samuel Mearne, dece'd, King Charles the 2{supd}'s stationer, in part of 862{suph} 3s 4{supd} for Church Bibles, Com'on Prayer Books, and other books,..215 10 0. a 1680 Butler Rem. (1759) I. 90 Thy Works..never have been known to stand in need Of Stationer to sell, or Sot to read. 1705 Dunton Life & Err. (1818) I. vii. 254 He was the first stationer I ever dealt with. 1727 Swift Poisoning of E. Curll Misc. 1732 III. 19 Yet was it plain by the Pangs this unhappy Stationer felt soon after, that some poisonous Drug had been secretly infused therein. 1895 Rashdall Univ. Europe I. iv. §4. 191 [Bologna] The Stationer's primary business was to let out books on hire to scholars. Ibid. i. v. §3. 416 [Paris] All Stationers and Booksellers were sworn to obey the University and were required to give security. |
† b. A publishing bookseller, publisher. Obs.
| 1541 Copland Guydon's Quest. Cyrurg. To Rdrs., A certayne yonge gentyll man..moued the ryght honest persone Henry Dabbe bybliopolyst & stacyoner to haue it translated in to englysshe. 1615 W. Lawson New Orchard Pref. (1623), The Stationer hath..bestowed much cost and care in hauing the Knots and Models by the best Artizan cut in great varietie. 1657 Brome's Queenes Exch., The Stationer to the Readers. 1659 Bp. Walton Consid. Considered 21 The Prolegomena..came to his hands after he had finished his Treatise of the Scripture, and was ready to give it to the Stationer. a 1661 Fuller Worthies, Gen. xxv. (1662) 74, I have passed my promise..to my former Stationer, that I will write nothing for the future, which was in my former Books, so considerable, as may make them Inter-fere one with another to his Prejudice. 1673 B. Oley Jackson's Wks. I. Pref. (d) 1 b, I..here set down all such particulars as may..contribute to the benefit..of the Reader, to the credit or caution of the Stationer. |
† c. A scribe, copyist. Obs. rare.
| 1583 Fulke Def. iv. 138 The other translatours..left out that title altogither, as being no part of the text and word of God, but an addition of the stationers or writers. |
d. A tradesman who sells writing materials and similar articles. Cf. law-stationer.
The sale of parchment, paper, pens, ink, etc. was originally a regular branch of the business of the ‘stationer’ or bookseller. The restriction of the term stationer to the dealer in these articles is first evidenced in quot. 1656; it had probably been in vogue in accurate mercantile parlance some time before, but was not established in ordinary use until the 18th century. Phillips (ed. Kersey 1706) s.v. Stationers, has the term paper-stationer.
| 1656 Blount Glossogr., Stationer..is often confounded with Book-seller, and sometimes with Book-binder; whereas they are three several Trades; the Stationer sells Paper and Paper-Books, Ink, Wax, etc. The Book-seller deals onely in printed Books, ready bound; and the Book-binder binds them, but sells not. Yet all three are of the Company of Stationers. 1755 Johnson, Stationer,..2. A seller of paper. 1796 Pegge Anonym. (1809) 155 A Stationer is now one that sells writing-paper, pens, &c. but formerly meant any one that kept a station or shop. 1812 H. & J. Smith Horace in Lond. 164 My paper boasts no edge of gold; My stationer is Henry Hase. 1859 (title) The Stationers' Hand-book; and Guide to the Paper Trade. 1880 Print. Trades Jrnl. xxx. 35 The exhibition..will be intended more particularly for Printers, Paper Makers, Stationers, and kindred traders. |
e. Possessive combinations: stationer's knot, stationer's rule (see quots.).
| 1870 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 601 The model tie of tradesmen is the Stationer's Knot. 1866 W. F. Stanley Math. Instrum. 211 The Stationer's, or Cutting rule, is a piece of hard wood..with the edges covered with brass. |
f. the Company of Stationers (or the Stationers' Company): one of the Livery Companies of the City of London, founded in 1556, comprising booksellers, printers, bookbinders, and dealers in writing materials, etc. Stationers' Hall: the hall of the Stationer's Company, at which a register of copyrights is kept. (The Copyright Act of 1842 provided that no action for breach of copyright could be brought unless the work had been entered in this register. The Copyright Act of 1911 abolished this rule.)
The charter of 1556 (ed. 1741, p. 6) is thus worded: ‘Volumus, damus, et concedimus..Thomæ Dockwray..[names of the Wardens and Freemen] Liberis Hominibus Misteræ sive Artis Stationarii Civitatis Nostre Londinensis..quod de cetero sint..Unum Corpus de se in perpetuum [etc]’.
An earlier guild of stationers is said to have been established in London in 1403: see quot. 1529 in 1.
| 1566 Star Chamber Decree in Arber Transcr. Stationers' Reg. (1875) I. 322 All Bookes to be so forfaited, shall be brought into the Stationers hall in London. 1709 Act 8 Anne c. 21 §2 Before such Publication be entred in the Register Book of the Company of Stationers. 1765 Bickerstaff's Maid of Mill Advt., This Opera is entered at Stationers Hall, and whoever presumes to Print the Songs, or any Part of them, will be prosecuted by the Proprietors. 1790 J. Fisher Poems, back of title, Entered in Stationers' Hall, according to Act of Parliament. 1859 Stationers' Hand-bk. back of title, Entered at Stationers' Hall. 1864 Chamb. Jrnl. 19 Nov. 748/2 ‘Almanac-day’ at Stationers' Hall. |
† 2. One who has a stall at a market. Obs. rare.
| 1616 Sheldon Surv. Miracles Ch. Rome 174 Standing Stationers and Assistants at your miracle markets and miracle forges, are for most part of lewdest life. |
▪ II. stationer2 Naut. rare—1.
(ˈsteɪʃənə(r))
[f. station n. + -er1.]
(See quot.)
| 1867 Smyth Sailor's Word-bk., Stationer, one who has had experience, or who has been some time on a particular station. |
Restrict rare —1 to sense a in Dict. Add: b. Newfoundland dial. A migratory fisherman, living in a temporary on-shore community during the summer fishing season. Cf. station n. 13 a.
| 1905 W. T. Grenfell Harvest of Sea 113 The men that have remained are called ‘stationers’; the others are green-fish catchers. 1924 G. A. England Vikings of Ice 261 Thousands of outport men migrate almost as regularly as the seals themselves... If they pick some berth and settle down, they're called ‘stationers’, ‘squatters’, or ‘roomers’. 1942 Little Bay Islands 14 Many stationers went to the French Shore each summer. 1969 in Halpert & Story Christmas Mumming in Newfoundland 23 From the same communities the Labrador ‘stationers’ also ‘went down north’. 1979 A. Anderson Salt Water, Fresh Water 319, I had a crew of five men and I had twenty-five stationers..and I was bringing them home on the vessel, and we got caught in a gale of south-east wind off St Anthony. |