History of printing
The history of printing collection includes printing presses and machines from five centuries, tools for creating type and documents related to typography. In addition, the collection includes a large number of items related to the development of book covers and paper.
From the printing press to the book cover
The collection highlights technical aspects of the history of printing and documents the evolution of printing technology after Gutenberg in the form of printing presses and machinery. In addition to typeface samples that document changes in the area of typography, the fascinating exhibits include around 70,000 book covers as well as an extensive collection of paper.
The collection
Typesetting and printing
The collection includes reconstructions of the wooden printing press of Johannes Gutenberg and iron manual printing presses of the 19th centuries, including toggle lever presses by the manufacturer Dingler (1834 and 1840), a Columbian press (around 1824), as well as a Stanhope press, the first letterpress printing press completely made of iron.
The collection also features typecasting, typesetting, and printing machines. These include a relief-printing machine by the machine manufacturer Klein & Forst (constructed in 1848) as well as two Linotype machines, which were invented by Ottmar Mergenthaler.