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History of the Paper Clip


Advertisement for the Common-Sense Paper Clip

When were bent-wire paper clips introduced? The first bent-wire paper clip was patented by Samuel B. Fay in 1867. This clip was originally intended primarily for attaching tickets to fabric, although the patent recognized that it could be used to attach papers together. We have found no advertisement or other mention for the Fay paper clip before 1899, and it therefore appears unlikely that it had significant, if any, sales prior to the late 1890s.  However, beginning in 1899 and for decades thereafter, the Fay design was widely advertised under many brand names for use in fastening papers. 

A second paper clip design was patented by Erlman J. Wright in 1877. This clip was advertised at that time for use in fastening newspapers. 

The Gem paper clip, which was never patented, but which eventually became by far the best selling paper clip in the U.S., has  been advertised since 1894, and may have been introduced in 1892.  

A patent application filed at the end of 1896 indicated that a number of different paper clips were in use. A flood of paper clip patents were issued beginning  in 1897.  This evidence indicates that bent-wire paper clips came into widespread use in offices in the late 1890s. A 1900 trade publication stated that "The wire clip for holding office papers together has entirely superseded the use of the pin in all up-to-date offices." (Business, March 1900, p. 173)

Why weren't bent-wire paper clips marketed earlier? According to Petroski, "Steel wire was still new in the second half of the nineteenth century....[T]he widespread manufacture and use of the paper clip had to await not only the availability of the right wire but also the existence of machinery capable of tirelessly and reliably bending it in a flash into things that could be bought for pennies a box." (Henry Petroski, "From Pins to Paper Clips," The Evolution of Useful Things, Vintage, New York, 1992, p. 60)

With what products did paper clips compete most closely? The two earliest patents indicate that bent-wire paper clips could be used in lieu of pins, sewing, "pointed bent-over paper fasteners," and eyelets. In 1904, Clinch Clips were advertised as "Cheaper than Pins." Around 1910 advertisements compare paper clips to straight pins for temporary attachment of papers. By contrast, early paper clip advertisements do not refer to staples. (Image to right shows a box of Cushman & Denison T Pins patented in 1902 & 1904.)

Why were bent-wire paper clips sold in so many different designs? Many designs were initially protected by patents. As a result, other manufacturers had to come up with different designs. Also, no single paper clip design is optimal for all purposes. In marketing paper clips, suppliers emphasized the superiority of their designs on one or two of the following characteristics:

1.    Does not catch, mutilate, or tear papers
2.    Does not get tangled with other clips in the box
3.    Holds a thick set of papers
4.    Holds papers securely
5.    Is thinner and takes less space in files
6.    Is easily inserted
7.    Is light weight and requires less postage
8.    Is cheap (because it uses less wire)

The Early Paper Clip Gallery below identifies every bent-wire paper clip that we are aware of that has a patent date before the end of 1902 plus every one for which we have found an advertisement or an example (but excluding modern decorative paper clips). Many additional designs that are not shown here were patented. Presumably most of these were not advertised widely or for long, if at all. In the case of paper clips patented before the end of 1902, if we do not have an advertisement that tells us the brand name of the clip, we have identified the clip using the patent holder's last name in italics.

We did not include paper clips that were patented after 1902 unless we could find evidence that they were produced.  We used that cutoff date because 13 paper clip patents were awarded in 1903, 10 of them to one inventor, George W. McGill.  With the exception of McGill's design for the Banjo paper clip, we have found no evidence that any of these was produced or advertised.

We have also included in the Early Paper Clip Gallery two paper clips (the Utility and the Eureka) that were made from sheet metal rather than bent wire.

The information on this page is based on reviews of patents, early trade publications, artifacts, and other primary sources.  As a result, unlike much of the information on the history of the paper clips that is available on the internet, the information presented here is accurate.

The Early Office Museum is grateful to Kenneth R. Berry for sharing his patent and trademark research on paper clips.

We would be happy to swap early paper clips for ones we do not have. We have extras for the following: Fay, Eureka, Perfection, Weis, Ring, Owl, Improved Gem, Frictioned Gem, Ezeon, Gothic, and Clipiola.

Early Paper Clip Gallery

Image	Brand Name Other Brand Names Dates	Additional Information
	Fay Paper Clip Amneco, C, Chicago, Cinch, Climax,  Clinch, Cyclone, Jiffy, New York, Philadelphia, Queen City, Simplex, Uneedit, West Patented 1867 Advertised 1899-1959	The patent awarded to Samuel B. Fay described this clip as a ticket fastener to be used, in lieu of a pin, to fasten tickets to fine fabrics. The patent noted that the clip could be used to attach a paper ticket to another piece of paper.
	Wright Paper Clip Patented 1877 Advertised c. 1877	The patent awarded to Erlman J. Wright stated that the clip was designed for "fastening together loose leaves of papers, documents, periodicals, newspapers," in lieu of sewing, "pointed bent-over paper fasteners," or eyelets. The clip was advertised as a newspaper clip.
	Gem Paper Clip Glide Not patented Advertised 1894-Present In 1904, Cushman & Denison obtained a trademark for "Gem" used in connection with paper clips. The announcement of the trademark stated "Used since March 1, 1892".	August 1894 ad. So far, this is the earliest known ad for the Gem.
	Patent Spring Clasps Advertised 1894-1900	Distributed by Library Bureau Boston, MA, which claimed that these spring clasps "largely supersede pins, staples, paper fasteners, rubber bands, clips, and all devices for fastening papers or cards together."
Replace with patent image	Utility Paper Clip Patented 1895 Advertised 1894-1900	Made from sheet metal, not bent wire, by O. W. Smith Manufacturing Co. Detroit, MI. Distributed by Library Bureau Boston, MA
	Eureka Paper Clip Farmer Patented 1894 Advertised 1899-12 (The brand name Farmer comes from the name of the inventor, George P. Farmer)	Made from sheet metal, not bent wire, by Consolidated Safety Pin Co., Bloomfield, NJ
	Reeve Paper Clip Patented 1897	.
	Cole Paper Clip Patented 1897	The patent indicates that a number of bent-wire paper clips were already in use when the application was filed in December 1896. "Previous to my invention various forms of bent-wire clips have been used. Some of them do not grip the articles with sufficient force, while others endanger a tearing. Others are difficult or inconvenient, and others still are clumsy or have some portion projecting transversely to the plane of the papers."
	Bennett Paper Clip Patented 1897	To use this clip, one bent a portion of the wire over the papers.
	Niagara Paper Clip Patented 1897 Advertised 1898-1950	Niagara Clip Co., New York, NY
	Perfection Paper Fastener Patented 1898 Advertised 1899-1900	Made by M. P. & J. R. Schooley, Homestead, Pa.  The patent states: "I am aware that prior to my invention paper-clips have been made somewhat similar to mine in their general idea."
	Columbia Paper Clip Scientific Advertised 1899	Columbia Manufacturing Co. Buffalo, NY Successor to the Scientific Clip Co.
	Clipper Paper Clip Duplex Patented 1899 Advertised 1900-11, 1921-23	Clipper Mfg. Co., Long Island, NY
	Daisy Paper Clip Patented 1899 Advertised 1908	Like the Eureka paper clip, this design was invented by George P. Farmer, who assigned the patent to the Consolidated Safety Pin Co., Bloomfield, NJ..
	Vaaler Paper Clip Patented 1900 (Germany) & 1901 (US)	Image is one of several  in the 1901 US patent. Vaaler is commonly but incorrectly given credit for invention of the paper clip.  His designs were neither first nor important.
	Konaclip Paper Clip L.B. Expansive Patented 1900 Advertised 1909-10	.
	McGill Paper Clip Patented 1900	.
	Wright Paper Clip Patented 1901	.
Image coming	De Long Paper Clip Patented 1901	.
	Ideal Paper Clip Triumph Patented 1902 Advertised 1903-Present	Cushman & Denison Mfg. Co.,  New York, NY ACCO Brands as of 2008
Patent Image coming	Mussinan Paper Clip Patented 1902	.
Patent Image coming	Cox Paper Clip Patented 1902	.
	Octo Paper Clip Advertised 1903-10	Attleboro Stock Co., New York, NY (1904) American Clip Co., Long Island City, NY "A pin, paper clip and  paper fastener in one."
	Banjo Paper Clip Banjo Gem Patented 1903 Advertised 1910-41	Cushman & Denison Mfg. Co..
	Weis Paper Clip Eureka, Star, Triangle Patented 1904 Advertised 1903-41	Weis Binder Co. (1905) During 1904, the US Patent Office issued three patents for paper clips with essentially this same design.
	Common Sense Paper Clip Patented 1904 Advertised 1904-25	Jackson Mfg. Co., Jackson, MI. Book-Keeper Publishing Co., Ltd., Detroit, MI (1905)
	Rinklip Paper Clip Circle, Ring Patented 1905 Advertised 1905-Present	A.A. Weeks Mfg. Co., New York, NY (Ring, 1905) Cushman & Denison Mfg. Co (Ring). The Rinklip advertised in 1905  had a flat top.
	Mogul Paper Clip Patented 1906 Advertised c.1906, 1908-10	Clipper Mfg. Co.
	Weis Herculean Reversible Paper Clip Marketed 1905 ~ Advertised 1907-10	Weis Binder Co., Toledo, OH (1905) Weis Mfg. Co.
	Improved Niagara Paper Clip Advertised 1908-1950	.
	Owl Paper Clip Regal, Peerless, Supreme Advertised 1908-Present	Owl Supply Co., Boston, MA ACCO Brands, part no. ACC-72130, as of 2008.
	Hold-Fast Paper Clip Advertised 1909-10	Cutter-Tower Co., Boston, MA
	Ringklip Paper Clip Advertised in Europe 1910	.
	Dennison Paper Clip Advertised 1910 Illustrated in Webster's New International Dictionary 1934.	Dennison Mfg. Co.
	Standard Paper Clip Advertised 1910-41	.
	Improved Triangle Patented 1917 Advertised 1923-25
	Ezeon Paper Clip Handi-Grip, Imperial, Rapid, Universal, Victory Patented 1920 Advertised 1919-89
	Victory Paper Clip Patented 1920 Advertised 1922	.
	Improved Gem Paper Clip Clipper Advertised  c. 1920-1924	Cushman & Denison Mfg. Co.
	Collette Paper Clip Variations include the Dandy, Gripit, Marcel, Non-Skid, Rigid, & Frictioned Patented: Collette1921, Dandy 1927, Gripit 1930  Including variations, advertised 1924-Present	Collette Mfg. Co., Amsterdam, NY Available from ACCO Brands, SKU: UNV72240,  as of 2008 Serrations are designed to hold papers securely.
	Perfected Gem Paper Clip Perfect Gem, Perfect, Gothic, Spear Patented 1934 Advertised 1937-Present Widely used on European continent	.
	Nifty Paper Clip Kurly Klip, Spiral, Clipiola Patented 1936 (Similar design patented 1907) Advertised 1937-Present	. Left: Kodye Kurly Klips.  Right: Clipiola.
	Paper Clip Serbia	.

Additional paper clips are listed by name but not illustrated in Who Makes It and Where: The Stationers' Book of Knowledge, 1918-19, Andrew Geyer, Inc., New York, copyright 1916. Also, "You are Cordially Invited to a Preview of the Emanuel Fritz Paper Clip Collection at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C.," American Collector, July 1973, contains photographs of portions of several paper clips that are not included above. Because the complete clips are not visible, we are unable to match them to patent diagrams.

A Nifty Story About Paper Clips

Matt Boytim writes: "My buddy and I were students in the early 80's. We commuted to school and parked in a lot with meters. Being poor college students we were interested in feeding the meters with something other than money, and we had heard that you could use 'paper clips'.  Of course, this made no sense to us until my buddy bought a box of Nifty Clips. We put a Nifty Clip in the dime slot of the meter, and a penny in the nickel slot, and wind the meter up to 4 hours.  This worked because the nifty clip was slightly bigger in diameter than a dime and acted as a spring.  It would compress to fit through the dime slot and once through would expand to engage the timer when you turned the knob.  The penny was needed, I guess, because something solid had to be in one of the coin slots. We went to get more clips from an office supply store.  When we paid, the guy said, 'So these things still work in the parking meters.' We did this for about two years, until they raised the price of parking and removed the dime and nickel slot.  If you really care I can tell you what we did after that, but it had nothing to do with Nifty Clips."

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