The Special Collections and Archives Gallery Exhibit Brigham Young University-Idaho The Scriptorium Collection A History of the Written Word Printing Tools Scriptorium Exhibit Homepage	Wood and Lead Type These pieces of type are similar to what Gutenberg would have used for printing. The concept of moveable type, combined with printing press technology and stiffer oil-based inks develped for printing, allow quicker, standardized, reproduction of a text at a much lower cost.
Letterpress Tools Left to right: Furniture, lead type, quoin, and key.	Letterpress Baltimore no. 14 (c. 1890) A hobby press from the Victorian Era when printing was sometimes a parlor amusement.	A Cost Comparison of Hand Lettered Manuscript vs. Printed Text Hand Lettered Manuscript: In 1274 a bible in Latin would cost about £30 (about $42.60) A typical workman would earn about £2 a year (about $2.84) In 1420 a bible in English would cost about £7-10 (about $9.94) Printed Text: About 1450 printing from moveable type by Gutenberg By 1520 a printed Tyndale's New Testament cost about £ .05 - .02 (about 7-28 cents)

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