This study traces the invention and early development of movable type and block printing and surveys surviving evidence for early European impressions. It charts how the new craft spread through principal towns and regions, profiles notable early printers and their productions, and outlines technical practices of type, layout, illustration, and catalogue-making. Separate chapters consider the establishment of printing in English towns, the craft of bookbinding, and the methods used to collect and describe early imprints, while illustrations and an index of printers and places support identification and further research.