Since its invention in 1436, printing press has come a long way to get into its present day incarnation - sophisticated and improved.

 Even though historians, and quite a few people out there, consider printing press to be one of the most influential inventions, the number of people having no clue whatsoever about when or who invented the printing press is quite striking. In order to find the answers to these questions, we have to go back to the history of printing, which can be traced back to as early as the beginning of the 2nd millennium.

 Printing Press History The paper money and playing cards from China which made it to the west in the 13th century were block printed, i.e. carved on a block of wood and transferred on paper with ink. The process was quite expensive and time consuming. Over the next century, the method of using wooden blocks to print on paper became quite popular. However, trials to come up with something that was less time consuming and relatively inexpensive continued. Read more on history of the printing press. Who Invented the Printing Press? In mid 15th century, a German goldsmith came up with a novel technique of printing with movable metal type. He used an alloy of lead, tin and antimony, in place of traditionally used block of wood which perished with time. The new alloy was made from metals that were easy to melt, could cast well in the die and, more importantly, were durable. The mirror image of each letter or symbol was carved on this alloy, and each letter being carved on a separate piece meant that these letters could be easily rearranged to come up with several different texts. This was the first printing press, and the German goldsmith who invented it was Johannes Gutenberg. Who was Johannes Gutenberg? Johannes Gensfleisch zur Laden zum Gutenberg was a German goldsmith, inventor, printer, who invented the printing press in 1436. Born in the city of Mainz in 1398, Gutenberg is also credited with some of the most notable contributions to various fields, including the 42-line Bible and oil based ink. Gutenberg printing press was based on the lines of the screw olive and wine presses used during this period. Gutenberg's initial experiments pertaining to the invention of printing press were funded by Andreas Dritzehn, a wealthy citizen in Germany.

However, Dritzehn died in 1438, before Gutenberg could make any major breakthrough with his experiments. Some of masterpieces coming from Gutenberg's press in the 15th century included 'Poem of the Last Judgment' (in 1446) and 'Calendar for 1448'. In 1450, Gutenberg struck a deal with another wealthy German businessman, Johannes Fust. In collaboration with Fust, Gutenberg produced some of the most prominent works in his printing press including the 42-line Bible. If you found this article interesting, you would also like to go through: Who Invented Gunpowder Who Invented the First Automobile This was basic information about who invented the printing press.

The Gutenberg press is referred to as one of the most influential inventions of that period because it played a pivotal role in spreading literature. The cost incurred on brochure printing material reduced drastically, which in turn reduced the price of printed material and thus brought it within the reach of masses.


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