Mehr als nur ein Logo

Did Johannes Gutenberg, the inventor of letterpress printing, have a business card? Probably not. However, his successors introduced the so-called printers mark: predecessor to the publishing logo. These witty, creative business cards have adorned the first or last pages of books since the early days of book printing, identifying the printers responsible. The aim was to showcase and sell both themselves and the printed books. To mark the 625th anniversary of Gutenbergs birth, the Gutenberg Museum Mainz is dedicating a first exhibition to the pictorial genre of printer's marks. The accompanying volume opens up the world of printers and publishers from the beginnings of book printing to the present day, and includes texts on processes in the printing workshop, the printers job, and specific case studies. Look inside - The history of book printers, artists and publishers - made clear on the basis of their printers marks from a previously unknown museum collection Fascinating case studies from history and the present day, e.g. on the development of the Deutscher Kunstverlag logo Exhibition, GutenbergMuseum, Mainz, November 28, 2025 to February 22 2026