What was the name of the first major book printed using movable type in Europe?

The first major book printed using mass-produced movable type in Europe was the Gutenberg Bible. Johannes Gutenberg printed the Latin Vulgate in Mainz in the 1450s, using individually cast metal letters that could be rearranged and reused.

The work is also called the 42-line Bible, the Mazarin Bible, or B42, after the typical number of lines on each page. Preparation probably began soon after 1450, and completed copies became available around 1454 or 1455. Gutenberg’s process combined a press, durable metal type, and carefully formulated ink, making the production of large books far more efficient.

The Gutenberg Bible was not the first text ever printed anywhere: woodblock printing had existed in East Asia for centuries, and smaller European print jobs came earlier. Its importance lies in demonstrating that movable metal type could produce an entire large book at high quality. About 49 copies survive in substantial part, including 21 substantially complete copies.