Introduction

Printing is the technique of making an impression on paper (or on other substances such as vellum) from inked type (or as the techniques developed, from plates, blocks, or cylinders). From this type, the most important aspect of printing is that it permits a large number of copies to be made from each setting of type.

During the period from the invention of printing in Europe until 1700, most books were printed on wooden printing presses, using metal type.