Koster or Coster, Laurens Janszoon

Koster or Coster, Laurens Janszoon (lou'runs yän'sōn kôs'tur) [key], c.1370–c.1440, Dutch sexton of a church in Haarlem, one of the men to whom has been ascribed the invention of printing with movable types. His name was Laurens Janszoon, but he is known by his office, as Koster or Coster [sexton]. The evidence that his printing with movable type preceded Gutenberg's is inconclusive.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2007, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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