The first page of Genesis in the Gutenberg Bible.
Our copy of the Gutenberg Bible is one of only 21 complete copies of Europe's first book printed with moveable type.
In the 1450s, German goldsmith Johannes Gutenberg (about 1400 to 1468) set up the first printing press in Europe.
Gutenberg's press could produce text much faster than scribes could copy text by hand, and with great accuracy across all copies of an edition.
By 1455, Gutenberg and his team of six typesetters completed the printing of about 180 copies of the Latin Bible.
It was the first substantial book printed in Europe with moveable metal type.
Bought in 1805 or 1806.
[Library reference: Inc.1]
