<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001209191-05-049909
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050930
<FILING-DATE>20051003
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20051003
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>BOWNE & CO INC
<CIK>0000013610
<ASSIGNED-SIC>2750
<IRS-NUMBER>132618477
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>1231
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>345 HUDSON ST
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10014
<PHONE>2129245500
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>STANLEY LISA A
<CIK>0001179916
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>001-05842
<FILM-NUMBER>051117342
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<PHONE>2122292749
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>BOWNE & CO INC
<STREET2>345 HUDSON ST
<CITY>NEW YORK
<STATE>NY
<ZIP>10014
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc4.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 SUBMISSION
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-09-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000013610</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOWNE &amp; CO INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BNE</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001179916</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>STANLEY LISA A</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>BOWNE &amp; CO., INC.,</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>345 HUDSON STREET</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW YORK</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>NY</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>10014</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-09-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>898</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>13.9167</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>209953</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Deferred stock units credited to the Reporting Person under Company plans as permitted under applicable SEC rules.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The number of shares of Common Stock beneficially owned as of the date reported, including the number of deferred stock units credited to the Reporting Person under Company plans as permitted under applicable SEC rules.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lisa A. Stanley by Scott L. Spitzer under Power of Attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-10-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
