This is the earliest machine of Gutenberg movable type printing process in the Far East. It was brought to Macao in the 16th century by Jesuit missionary Alessandro Valignano.

By exhibiting its replica, the Museum hopes to present its original appearance to the audience. Before being shipped to Japan, it was temporarily stored in Macao from 1588 to 1590, during which time several books were printed.After its arrival in Japan, many Japanese characters were added to the heavy machine which was quick to fall into disuse. It was sold to Augustinian fathers in Manila and has since been lost.

Since the early 20th century, Macao’s printing industry underwent the technological developments from black-and-white printing to registration color printing, from lithographic printing to offset printing, and to today’s digital printing. Because of the transformation of the social environment, the local printing industry is in its gradual decline.