ider ed ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁the ▁post - World ▁War ▁II ▁private - press ▁movement ." ▁Will ▁R ans om ▁has ▁been ▁cred ited ▁as ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁American ▁private ▁press ▁histor i ograph ers . ▁ ▁Selected ▁history ▁Qu ality ▁control ▁Bey ond ▁a est het ics , ▁private ▁press es , ▁histor ically , ▁have ▁served ▁other ▁needs . ▁John ▁Hunter ▁( 1 7 2 8 – 1 7 9 3 ), ▁a ▁Scot ish ▁sur geon ▁and ▁medical ▁research er , ▁established ▁a ▁private ▁press ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 6 ▁at ▁his ▁house ▁at ▁ 1 3 ▁Castle ▁Street , ▁Le ic ester ▁Square , ▁in ▁West ▁End ▁of ▁London , ▁in ▁an ▁attempt ▁to ▁prevent ▁una ut hor ized ▁publication ▁of ▁cheap ▁and ▁foreign ▁ed itions ▁of ▁his ▁works . ▁His ▁first ▁book ▁from ▁his ▁private ▁press : ▁A ▁Tre at ise ▁on ▁the ▁Ven ere al ▁D ise ase . ▁One ▁thousand ▁copies ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁edition ▁were ▁printed . ▁ ▁Academ ics ▁Por ter ▁Gar nett ▁( 1 8 7 1 – 1 9 5 1 ), ▁of ▁Car neg ie ▁M ell on ▁University , ▁was ▁an ▁exponent ▁of ▁the ▁anti - indust rial ▁values ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁private ▁press es ▁– ▁namely ▁those ▁of ▁Kel ms c ott , ▁D ov es , ▁and ▁Ash end ene . ▁Following ▁Gar nett ' s ▁inspir ational ▁proposal ▁to ▁Car neg ie ▁M ell on , ▁Gar nett ▁designed ▁and ▁inaugur ated ▁on ▁April ▁ 7