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History of the Printing Press

  • Jan 1, 1440

    The inventon of the modern printing press

    The modern invented in by a German man, Johannes Gutenberg. Johannes Gutenberg’s invention was based on the use of screw presses (a screw press is a machine in which the ram is driven up and down by a screw) the first types of this machine were operated with wine and olive oil.
  • Sep 30, 1452

    First book published using the printing press

    Johannes Guttenberg's bible became the first piece of published work using the printing press, each copy sold for 30 florins. 30 florins was around 3 years worth of wages for an average person. This was still cheaper than most as it would take over a year for a bible to be hand written up to standard.
  • Jan 1, 1457

    First thing printed in colour using the modern printing press

    Fust and Schoeffer were the first company to print in colour using Gutenberg’s machine.
  • Jan 1, 1476

    Modern printing press is brought to England

    William Caxton was the first to use a printing press form Johannes Gutenburg printing press in England and many credit him with the introduction of this invention to England. William Caxton was a English writer, merchant and diplomat. Caxton was also the first person to sell books printed by the modern printing press in England
  • Jan 1, 1495

    The first paper mill was opened in England

    The first paper mill was a big deal as it signified the rising demand for paper and for written word. More paper/writing allowed many things, like a need to be literate. This was the fore coming of the industrial revolution as after the Renaissance and The Enlightenment periods there was a high demand for books and literature. This started the idea of mass-producing things.
    (more on next event)
  • Jan 2, 1495

    First paper mill opened in England

    Also the printing press was a way of getting promotion for other products and services that became available through the industrial revolution. The modern printing press helped create many revolutions such as the scientific revolution.
  • First weekly newspaper printed

    o Johann Carolus was the first person to print a weekly newspaper around his town of Straßurg, Relation aller Fürnemmen und gedenckwürdigen Historien (This translates to Account of all distinguished and commerable news). It was a German newspaper and has been recognised around the world as the first ever newspaper.
  • FIrst Paper Mill opened in the American Colonies

    This symbolised how the modern printing press was becoming a global sensation and how one day it would be all over the world.
  • The first daily newspaper in English

    Called the Daily Courant, this newspaper was first published from Fleet Street by Edward Mallet. This newspaper ran from 1702 until 1735, when it was merged with the Daily Gazetteer
  • Iron Printing Press is Invented

    Earl Stanhope was the first to introduce the hand press with an iron frame as apposed to a press with a wooden frame as the iron frame made the press quicker, stronger and more efficient. This quickly replaced the older version.
  • Embossed Printing invented

    This process of creating raised 3D objects on paper and other various materials. This also helped in integrating words into every day life and helping blind people read through Braille
  • Rotary Printing Press Invented

    Richard March Hoe invented this in 1843 but he perfected the art in 1846. This allowed people to print on a variety of objects, not being restraint to paper, this was another step in the journey to writing and reading becoming some of the world’s most common things. This can print 8,000 sheets per hour.
  • First Type-composing machine invented

    After several failed attempts William Church finally broke through with the Hattersley Composing Machine of 1857. This was the predecessor to the typewriter and South Wales’ Daily News used this machine until 1915 whilst others were against the idea, as labour from females was needed to use the machine.
  • Typewriter Invented

    There were around 52 other types of typing machines before the typewriter but none were as successful as them. These machines were used everywhere for everything and also created many jobs for females as secretaries or typists for companies and offices.
  • Rotary Web-Fed letterpress invented

    William Bullock was the first to invent such a machine that allowed one to print on both sides of the paper. This was much more efficient.
  • Paper Mass Produced

    (1870s)
    By the time period that was the 1870s the process of producing paper from wood pulp was on a rise and was being mass-produced everywhere.
  • Photogravure invented

    This is a process of putting a photo on brass and copper; these can be just as interact as a photo and was another step toward designing becoming such a large part of society.
  • Linotype Invented

    Ottmar Mergenthaler was another to invent a type-composing machine although not nearly as successful it was still able to do its job and produce a Line – Of – Text.
  • MImeographs Invented

    Mimeographs (which is often shortened to mimeo) are a machine in which to print large quantities of the same thing at the same time there is a roll of ink, which rolls over a stencil, effectively printing on your pattern. This was a low cost method of printing and was the next step in printing.
  • Diazotise Is Invented

    Diazotise is a method of printing photos onto fabric.
  • First Comic Book Published

    As offset lithography (a process of transferring an inked image onto paper) becomes increasingly popular, people were able to print the first ever comic book. Comic wouldn’t even be around without the printing press and were another example of spreading messages through print.
  • Phototypesetting Invented

    This was a way of printing by bathing shadows in 2 or 3 baths of chemicals so the same patter would emerge. This was rendered useless when the computer came along.
  • The Release of the Dot Matrix Printer

    This was a computer printer that was considered one of the best printers until the ‘90s. The way it worked was by stamping the page in various patterns to create different fonts, with a round pinhead, this gives it the name, the DOT matrix.
  • Thermal Printing

    This Machine coats select parts of the paper in a reactive liquid and then heats these certain parts of the paper when it comes and when this happens the liquid turns black.
  • Ink-Jet Printing

    This is a simple process of the printer having a jet of ink (where the name comes from) and squirting onto parts of the paper depending on the text/pictures.
  • Digital Printing

    This is a method of printing images onto a wide range of metals, this was superior to lithography, flexography, gravure and the letterpress was that with digital printing the need to change the printing plates was gone making this a more efficient product.
  • Laser Printing

    This invention is a digital printer, first released in 1969. The laser printer is fast and uses a Xerographic process. This uses static electricity and was a digital breakthrough.
  • 3D Printing

    This is a long process of making object by printing many layers in a slightly different pattern for each layer to make various shapes.