An introduction to periodical bibliography. Paul E. Vesenyi.Ann Arbor, Mich.: Pierian Press, 1974.
Annex A (TEMP) Z6941.V47
This dry-sounding monograph includes a very helpful history of periodical indexing from the 18th century through the mid-20th century.
The Guide to Reference has very useful coverage of reference tools for periodicals, arranged geographically. Browse to General Reference Works > Periodicals.
Magazines in the United States. James Playsted Wood. 3d ed. New York, Ronald Press [1971] Trustee Reading Room Reference (DR) PN4877 .W6 1971
The magazine century : American magazines since 1900. David E. Sumner. New York : Peter Lang, c2010. Firestone PN4877 .S86 2010
http://hdl.handle.net/2027/heb.00678
The popular magazine in Britain and the United States 1880-1960. David Reed. London : British Library, 1997.
Firestone PN5124.P4 R43 1997
Dictionary of nineteenth-century journalism in Great Britain and Ireland. General editors Laurel Brake & Marysa Demoor. Ghent, Belgium: Academia Press; London: The British Library, 2009.
Trustee Reading Room Reference (DR) PN4728 .D527 2009
Victorian periodicals and Victorian society. Edited by J. Don Vann and Rosemary T. VanArsdel. Toronto; Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, c1994.
Firestone PN5124.S6 V521 1994
Periodicals of Queen Victoria’s empire: an exploration. Edited by J. Don Vann and Rosemary T. VanArsdel. Toronto; Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, c1996.
Firestone PN5124.P4 P47 1996
Two books of essays on 19th c. British magazines. The first is arranged by subject (science, agriculture, sport) and the second covers Australia & New Zealand, Canada, India, South Africa, and other outposts of the British empire.
Histoire générale de la presse française. Claude Bellanger, et al., eds. Paris, Presses universitaires de France, 1969-
Firestone PN5174 .H5 1969
This five-volume set is the essential history of the press in France and covers the origins to 1975.
Lindemann, Margot. Geschichte der deutschen Presse. Berlin, Colloquium Verlag, 1966-1986. Firestone PN5204 .L563 1966 -- 4 vols.
Storia della stampa italiana. A cura di Valerio Castronovo e Nicola Tranfaglia.: Roma; Bari: Laterza, 1976-<1980 > Firestone PN5242 .S86 -- 6 vols.
Though the serious scholar will want additional information, for basic facts, it is worth searching wikipedia for articles about individual periodicals. Use "magazine" in your search, e.g. google "wikipedia time magazine."
The guides published by Greenwood Press in the series Historical Guides to the World's Periodicals and Newspapers generally include short essays on individual titles, arranged alphabetically. Coverage of the United States periodical press is excellent, and there are a few guides that address British or international titles. The reader should always skim the introduction, both for background information and because the editors generally list important periodicals for which they commissioned articles that did not appear in time for inclusion in the volume. Princeton has a complete set, but they are shelved in various libraries and locations. Many are cited in the Guide to Reference above.
