Gutenberg Press

Working model of Gutenberg Press in the Dunham Bible Museum

Johann Gutenberg (cs. 1400-1468) invented the first printing press with moveable metal type. Previous to Gutenberg’s invention, all books had been written by hand, one book at a time. With Gutenberg’s development of printing, a scribe’s work for one day could be accomplished in a few minutes. Between 1452 and 1455, Gutenberg printed his first book – the Latin Vulgate Bible. He printed about 180 copies, 48 of which have survived in some part. Fourteen copies are in the United States. In 2000, Time magazine named Gutenberg the “Man of the Millennium.”

The original Gutenberg leaf on display is of Psalm 8.

 

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