Johann Fust

Wikipedia:

Johann Fust or Faust (c. 1400 – October 30, 1466) was an early German printer.

. . .Johann Fust was not much of a printer but more of a businessman and a salesman. Fust loaned 800 guilders (with an interest of 6%) to Johannes Gutenberg with which to start his original project. Later, another large sum of money was handed over from Fust to Gutenberg. At this point, Fust felt as if he needed to be included as a partner on the project since he had now invested so much into it.

There were all but three Bibles left to be completed when Fust decided to foreclose on his loans. On November 6, 1455, Fust demanded 2,026 guilders from Gutenberg. He also revealed in court that he had to borrow the money he gave to finance Gutenberg at 6% in order to even give the loan. All in all, Gutenberg ended up having to pay 1,200 guilders to Fust along with all of the completed Bibles, unfinished books, and his workshop.

From that point on Gutenberg was hardly ever heard from again and Fust went into partnership with Peter Schöffer. Schöffer had learned all the fine skills of printing from Gutenberg. This meant that Schöffer would be able to use the same techniques he had learned and practiced, while the savvy businessman Fust could find ways to do what he was best at, which was to sell the books that they were making. They made copies of the famed “42-line Bible” in both paper and vellum. The paper ones were sold for 40 guilders each, while the ones on vellum were sold for 75 guilders apiece.[7] Fust set up a sales branch in Paris as well, expanding the sales of this Bible on a global level (long before any type of global businesses were even thought about in society). Paris is also believed to be the place where Fust died in 1466.

. . .According to some sources, the speed and precise duplication abilities of the printing press caused French officials to claim that Fust was a magician, leading some historians to connect Fust with the legendary character of Faust. Friedrich Maximilian Klinger’s Faust, a printer, may borrow more from Fust than other versions of the Faust legend.

. . .After Peter Schöffer married Fust’s daughter, Christina, the printing business of Fust and Schöffer carried on through offspring. Fust and Schöffer had done much to keep their printing methods secret, even going as far as to make their employees swear by oath that they would not reveal anything. However, the secrets were revealed anyway. Schöffer’s sons (Fust’s grandsons) Johann and Peter continued on in their father’s and grandfather’s footsteps. The younger Peter’s son Ivo also made printing his career. Johann Fust may not have started out as a printing man but he certainly ended up influencing a whole new generation of printing. What started out in Germany spread to other parts of the world. It seemed unlikely that the original partnership between Fust and Gutenberg would end up having the effect that it ultimately did on the printing press. Many people will credit and continue to credit Gutenberg for much of the success of the 42-line Bible and for printing in general. The facts do state, however, that if it was not for Johann Fust that this Bible would have never been created in the first place. Fust controlled the sales aspect as well and branched out this creation to people in other countries. Thanks to Fust’s partnership with Schöffer a whole new generation of printers were brought into the world. The argument remains who is the true father of the printing press. Johann Fust is the name that most people still do not know today. Johann Fust will always be the man who turned his back on Gutenberg; however, he will also always be the man that truly began the printing press (through cunning and greed but there will also be people who call it business strategy).

Video Title: A Media Revolution: The Gutenberg Bible. Source: Dr. Jörn Günther Rare Books. Date Published: February 13, 2018. Description:

The famous Gutenberg Bible – the crown jewel of printed books – is Europe’s first substantial book that was printed using movable metal type. A true work of art, this book’s majestic craftsmanship has never been surpassed. The present 13 continuous leaves comprise the complete Book of Joshua from a copy of the first printed edition of the Latin Bible from 1454. They constitute the largest fragment from the Gutenberg Bible in private hands.