Where Yesterday Meets Tomorrow

Patent Dates

A useful gauge of the approximate date of an item is the patent numbers that are sometimes found on the object. Of course a patent number or date does not date the object to that specific year but it does help place the item in an era. Patent numbers and dates were listed primarily for marketing purposes - to show that the item was unique, original, and the most modern device available. But once the date grew stale, companies stopped including them on the item. They didn't want to tell America's housewives that the gadget was the most modern available 20 years ago! So an 1872 patent date doesn't mean the item was made in 1872, but it probably means it was made shortly thereafter. Following is a table showing the first patent and design numbers issued in each year. Design patents are issued for new shapes, decorations, motifs, etc.

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