The official proposal was made in a letter written in 1879 by Thomas Hailing of the Oxford Printing Works, Cheltenham, to Tuer, who replied that if 100 printers would participate, his firm would handle the arrangements.

Response to the call for specimens for the first issue exceeded all expectations, and publication, originally announced as biannual, was quickly changed to annual.

[5] For the first three years, Tuer and his editorial assistant, Robert Hilton, commented frankly and often amusingly on each specimen, but with the increase in both number and international participation, detailed critiques became burdensome and, perhaps, politically sensitive.

[6] Volumes I–VIII (1880–1887) were published by Field & Tuer at the Leadenhall Press, London, and the content represented both old-style and new "Artistic" printing.

After Volume VIII, Tuer turned publication over to Hilton, who had moved on to become editor of a new journal, the British Printer, published by the firm of Raithby & Lawrence.