History of the Printing Press

888 The Diamond Sutra, a Buddhist scripture, was the first dated example of block printing. 

1041 Bi Sheng in China invented movable clay type

1400 Johannes Gutenberg born in Mainz, Germany

1423 Europeans use xylography (art of engraving on wood, block printing) to produce books.

1430 Gutenberg moved from his native town of Mainz to Strasburg

1436 Gutenberg begins work on his printing press.

1437 Gutenberg was sued for "breach of promise of marriage" by a young lady of  Strasburg

1440 Gutenberg completed his wooden press which used movable metal type.

1440 Laurens Janszoon Koster (Coster) is credited, by some, with inventing movable metal type

1444 Gutenberg returns to Mainz and sets up a printing shop 

1446 Gutenberg prints the "Poem of the Last Judgment"

1448 Gutenberg prints the "Calendar for 1448"

1450 Gutenberg' formed a partnership with the wealthy Johann Fust 

1450 Gutenberg begins work on a Bible, the first is 40 lines per page. 

1452 Gutenberg begins printing the 42-line Bible in two volumes. 

1454 Gutenberg prints indulgences (notes sold to Christians by the Pope, pardoning their sins)

1455 First block-printed Bible, the Biblia Pauperum, published in Germany. 

1455 Gutenberg completed work on what is estimated to be 200 copies of the Bible 

1455 Gutenberg was effectively bankrupt. Investor Johann Faust gains control of print business

1457 First known color printing, a Psalter (a collection of Psalms for devotional use) by Faust.

1460 Gutenberg reestablished himself in the printing business with the aid of Conrad 
Humery

1461 Albrecht Pfister printed the first illustrated book Edelstein which featured a number of woodcuts.

1465 Gutenberg is appointed to the court of Archbishop Adolf of Nassau

1458 Johannes Gutenberg died February 3, in Mainz, German

1499 Printing had become established in more than 2500 cities around Europe.

1499 An estimated 15 million books have been press printed, representing thirty thousand book titles