When the printing press was really invented is shrouded in controversy. Quite often the story is told of how Gutenberg invented the printing press in 1456 by producing the first printed Bible. The truth is that the answer to this question really depends on who you ask and how deep you want to dig.
593 AD The First Printing Press - In China?
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| These wooden blocks printed newspapers |
That's right. The first ever historical record of a printing press is given to us by the Chinese. It consisted of a solid piece of wood with Chinese characters carved in relief. No doubt these pressman spent many days making these blocks.
Amazingly, the presses that used these blocks were used to print newspapers! In fact, there are still surviving copies of these papers, the most famous being the Diamond Sutra which dates to 868 AD. It is a complete book containing sacred writings relating the Buddhism and is located in the British Museum.
1041 AD The invention of movable type.
Hold on a minute. You are probably saying, "Wasn't it Gutenberg that invented movable type much later?" The answer surprisingly is no. That clarification will come a little later. Once again, the Chinese were already pioneering this technology a few hundred years earlier. It wasn't computer-to-plate, but it was probably one of the greatest steps forward in the invention of modern printing in the span of about 500 years.
Credited with inventing movable type is Bi Sheng (990-1051 AD). His movable type was made from fired clay. Movable type which was more durable came in 1490 when bronze was used by Hua Sui. In this respect, Gutenberg preceded the Chinese by developing metal movable type.
1439 AD - Gutenberg "invents" the printing press.
It is no doubt true that the Chinese had little to no influence on Gutenberg's invention. However a real production printing press required materials beyond what had already been invented to mass produce books. Being a goldsmith, Gutenburg already had the know how to produce move able type that was more durable. Type that was produced from a metal allow was far more durable and could made a practical system that was suitable for mass production.
So the conclusion is that Gutenburg is more accurately credited with the technique for the printing press. Presses in simpler form existed already for hundreds of years. However his technique gave the real impetus required to revolutionize our modern age.
Related Posts:
Why Germans Build the Best Printing Presses
A Short History Of Offset Printing
The Printing Press
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| A replica of the printing press invented by Gutenberg |
So the conclusion is that Gutenburg is more accurately credited with the technique for the printing press. Presses in simpler form existed already for hundreds of years. However his technique gave the real impetus required to revolutionize our modern age.
Related Posts:
Why Germans Build the Best Printing Presses
A Short History Of Offset Printing
The Printing Press
A Short History of Offset Printing
The history of offset printing could fill volumes. Instead I would like to highlight more modern advances in offset printing as it relates to sheetfed and web printers.
1875: The first press to use offset lithography and the offset printing process is invented in England. It used a cardboard covered cylinder to transfer the image from stone to a metal surface.
1880: Rubber is discovered as a more effective transfer method on an offset printing clylinder.
1892: First four color rotary press is invented.
1895: Harris Automatic Press Company is founded in Niles, Ohio. The company begins research on how to better the offset printing process.
1903: Ira Washington Rubel of the United States first uses the offset process and uses it to print on paper. He discovers that images print sharper by printing from the stone to the blanket and then to the paper. This forms the basis for all modern offset lithography.
1911: Man Roland enters the offset printing market with their first offset printing press.
1930: Heatset printing makes a debut with the first heatset inks being produced for offset printers.
1950: Lithographic offset printing becomes a direct competitor with letterpress. Popularity now swings in the direction of offset printing as the desired and most economical form of printing.
1960: More and more newspaper printers begin replacing their outdated letterpress machines with offset presses.
1962: Heidelberg begins development of offset printing presses. This came after decades of resistance by management. Technicians were able to convince them that this was the way of the future.
1995: Computer-to-plate makes its debut at trade shows around the world.
1998: Heidelberg patents the gapless printing clylinder.
2002: Man Roland patents the magnetic brake system for folders allowing quarter folders to print faster.
I don't pretend to be a history buff in this aspect, but this is a sampling of events over the past 100 years or so. I would be interested to know if anyone else out there can add to this as it relates to sheetfed or web printing. Leave a comment below and let me know. Thanks.
1875: The first press to use offset lithography and the offset printing process is invented in England. It used a cardboard covered cylinder to transfer the image from stone to a metal surface.
1880: Rubber is discovered as a more effective transfer method on an offset printing clylinder.
1892: First four color rotary press is invented.
1895: Harris Automatic Press Company is founded in Niles, Ohio. The company begins research on how to better the offset printing process.
1903: Ira Washington Rubel of the United States first uses the offset process and uses it to print on paper. He discovers that images print sharper by printing from the stone to the blanket and then to the paper. This forms the basis for all modern offset lithography.
1911: Man Roland enters the offset printing market with their first offset printing press.
1930: Heatset printing makes a debut with the first heatset inks being produced for offset printers.
1950: Lithographic offset printing becomes a direct competitor with letterpress. Popularity now swings in the direction of offset printing as the desired and most economical form of printing.
1960: More and more newspaper printers begin replacing their outdated letterpress machines with offset presses.
1962: Heidelberg begins development of offset printing presses. This came after decades of resistance by management. Technicians were able to convince them that this was the way of the future.
1995: Computer-to-plate makes its debut at trade shows around the world.
1998: Heidelberg patents the gapless printing clylinder.
2002: Man Roland patents the magnetic brake system for folders allowing quarter folders to print faster.
I don't pretend to be a history buff in this aspect, but this is a sampling of events over the past 100 years or so. I would be interested to know if anyone else out there can add to this as it relates to sheetfed or web printing. Leave a comment below and let me know. Thanks.
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