Paper Clip History - Invention of the Paper Clip American Milestones: 1867 Samuel Fay invents and patents a Ticket Fastener that also can be used to hold paper 1899 William D. Middlebrook invents and patents paper clip and production machine 1899 Middlebrook sells patent to Cushman & Denison 1899 Cushman & Denison trademark the name GEM for their paper clip 1901 Johan Vaaler patents paper clip 1903 George McGill patents a paper clip that looks very similar to today's version paper clip, gem paper clip, fastener, clasp, george middlebrook, cushman and denison, johan vaaler, samuel fay, george mvgill, invention, history, inventor of, history of, who invented, invention of, fascinating facts. The Story: Consider the humble paper clip: Its just a thin piece of steel wire bent into a double-oval shape, but over the past century, no one has invented a better method of holding loose sheets of paper together. The common paper clip is a wonder of simplicity and function, so it seems puzzling that it wasnt invented earlier.

For centuries, straight pins, string and other materials were used as fasteners, but they punctured or damaged the papers. While the paper clip seems like such an obvious solution, its success had to wait for the invention of steel wire, which was "elastic" enough to be stretched, bent and twisted. The first paper clip was invented in 1867 by Samuel Fay. The patent (#64,088) was issued on April 23, 1867 for a Ticket Fastener. Fay specified in the description that in addition to attaching tickets to garments it could be used to hold papers together. Fay's design along with the 50 other designs patented prior to 1899 are not even close to the modern design we know today. But the modern paper clip existed on paper as early as April 27, 1899. It appears on a patent (#636,272) issued November 9, 1899 to William D. Middlebrook of Waterbury, Connecticut. Middlebrook invented not just the paper clip but he also invented a machine to produce the paper clip. The patent drawings clearly show the final product, the common paper clip.

In his description he makes reference that both the machine and the paper clip design are to be covered by the patent. Cushman and Denison a manufacturing company already in the paper clip and office supply buisness purchased the Middlebrook patent in 1899. That same year Cushman and Denison also trademarked the name "GEM" for their new paper clip. The design was perfected further by rounding the sharp points of the wire so they wouldnt catch, scratch or tear the papers. By 1907, the Gem brand rose to prominence as the perfect paper clip that "will hold securely your letters, documents, or memoranda without perforation or mutilation until you wish to release them." Since then, literally zillions of paper clips have been sold. Over the years, many different inventors have been credited with the invention of the paper clip. First because so many patents were issued and second because their are so many design possibilities. One of the most prolific inventors was George McGill who patent under his name or in conjunction with other inventors over 15 different designs from 1888 to 1903.

His 1903 patent (#742,893) even shows a design that looks like Middlebrook's. But the inventor who is named the most often as the inventor is Johan Vaaler. He properly is named most often because the story surrounding his paper clip makes for good reading. In 1899 a Norwegian named Johan Vaaler, patented the paper clip in Germany because Norway had no patent law at the time. Vaaler's device received an American patent (#675,761) in 1901. Vaaler's American patent drawing shows several kinds of paper clips, from square to triangular to one that looks a lot like the elliptical ones in wide use today. But the wire does not form the familiar loop within a loop. However Vaaler did nothing with his invention. Norwegians have proudly embraced their countryman, Johan Vaaler, as the true inventor. During the Nazi occupation of Norway in World War II, Norwegians made the paper clip a symbol of national unity. Prohibited from wearing buttons imprinted with the Norwegian kingï¿½s initials, they fastened paper clips to their lapels in a show of solidarity and opposition to the occupation.

Wearing a paper clip was often reason enough for arrest. One clear challenge to the Gem was patented (#1,985,866) in 1934 and has come to be known as the Gothic clip, because its loops are pointed more to resemble Gothic arches than the rounded Romanesque ones of the Gem. Henry Lankenau's patent application for the "perfect Gem" also listed ease of applying to papers as one of the invention's advantages. Although colorful plastic materials and new shapes have challenged the double-oval steel-wire paper clip over the years, none has proven superior. The traditional paper clip is the essence of form follows function. After a century, it still works. TO LEARN MORE Paper Clip Day - 29th May, 2017 | Days Of The Year Mon 29th May, 2017 will be... Paper Clip Day Stationery Did you just roll your eyes at the idea of the bent little piece of metal known as the paper clip should have it’s own holiday? Have you ever worked in an office? If not, we can see how you might not get it—and that’s alright, we’re about to explain everything to you.

But if you have, you know exactly where we’re coming from—and don’t worry, we have some interesting information for you, too. So let’s get on with Paper Clip Day, shall we? The History of Paper Clip Day The first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the Samuel B. Fay in 1867 in the United States. Originally, the paper clip was designed for attaching tickets to fabric, although the patent recognized that it could be used to attach papers together. However, that model of a paper clip did not resemble the one we know today all that much. The paper clip as we know it was most likely designed by Norwegian inventor Johan Vaaler. Years later, during World War II, the paper clip was used as a symbol of the Norwegian resistance to Nazi German occupation. Meant to show solidarity with other Norwegians during those difficult times, paper clips were worn in coat lapels by many. The Nazis saw this show of solidarity as a threat, and they soon prohibited paper clips altogether, threatening people who dared wear them with severe punishment.

In fact, an enormous paper clip over a meter wide and five meters tall was erected in Sandvika, Norway, to remind people about the role this tiny object played in the nation’s history. You have to admit you never thought paper clips had such an interesting history, don’t you? Starting in 2015, Paper Clip Day is now celebrated every year on May 29th. How to Celebrate Paper Clip Day Everyone knows that paper clips can be used to hold papers together. But did you know how many other things can be done with them? This Paper Clip Day, maybe take a little time to find out just how many other things you can do wit them, and how many uses there are that you just never thought of.

To name but a few examples, paper clips can be used: •as emergency key chains (they’re really built almost the same as a normal key chain!) • as emergency zipper tabs (few things are more irritating than being locked inside your jacket!) • as DIY fish hooks (because we sometimes run out of authorized equipment, and the fish won’t care as long as there’s a worm!) • as emergency hair barrettes (sometimes you just need to get that hair out of your face!) • to hang ornaments whose little stringy thingies have torn (colored paper clips could actually add some color to the tree!) • as lottery ticket scratchers (for those times when you just got your nails done and don’t want all that gray gunk under them!) • to unclog narrow holes, like a spray can nozzles, salt and pepper shakers, glue bottle tips, etc. We could go on, but you get the idea—and feel free to come up with some of your own, too! Paper clips are one of the most versatile little bits of metal ever made, so let’s get celebrating Paper Clip Day!

The Last Paperclip » The Week Behind The Last Paperclip RSS Feed By Scott Jacobs In the waning days of my business, I took inventory of all the stuff I’d accumulated over the years. I made lists of the tens of thousands of dollars worth of equipment in my shop, assigning to each prices etched in my mind because the cost had been so dear. When the auctioneer arrived, he methodically slashed the prices in half. But he left untouched a whole category of office supplies. “Keep the paperclips,” he said. “They never lose their value.” Twelve years later, I found myself rummaging through the basement to retrieve the last box of paperclips in my possession. The abundance of paperclips we bought always astonished me; but it was only when the supply ran out that I appreciated them. I have used paperclips as pipe cleaners, lock pickers, fish hooks, bread bag twists, paint stirrers, glue spreaders, hole pokers, pants buttons, ornament hangers, key rings, bracelets, cotter pins, chip bag closers, wood etchers, computer reset keys, and, occasionally, for the purpose they were intended: clipping two pieces of paper together.

The Elusive Paperclip Patent The first patent for a bent wire fastener was awarded in the United States to Samuel B. Fay in 1867, according to the Early Office Museum. Fay’s clip was designed to attach tickets to fabric––although the patent office recognized it could also be used to attach papers together. Over the next 35 years, some 50 other patents were granted for similar devices––all functional––but none turned out to have the shape and functionally of the paperclip we use today. That clip––known as the Gem clip––was first manufactured in Britain in the early 1870’s by the Gem Manufacturing Company. An 1883 article about “Gem Paper-Fasteners” praised them for being “better than ordinary pins” for “binding together papers on the same subject, a bundle of letters, or pages of a manuscript.” By 1894, Cushman & Denison, an office supply company in New York, was advertising “Gem Paper Clips” in The Book-Keeper. But the company never filed for a patent, although it registered “Gem” as a trademark in 1904.

Torsion versus Elasticity The Gem clip is characterized by the almost two full loops made by the wire. When a moderate number of sheets are inserted between the two “tongues” of the clip, the tongues are forced apart and cause torsion in the bend of the wire to grip the sheets together. If you try to bind too many sheets, the wire exceeds its elasticity, resulting in permanent deformation. (Thank you, Wikipedia.) But when you unfold the metal wire, it takes on a whole new shape and purpose; its pointed end can be used to unlock the “eject” button on computer CD-roms, replace SIM cards on iPhones and other handheld devices, remove the bezel from Logitech track balls, and, when re-shaped into a U, even start a computer power supply without connecting to a motherboard. If you have a creative mind, the paperclip can be anything you want it to be. Johan Vaaler in 1887 as a student of the Christiania University. Norway States Its Claim The paperclip is nowhere more renown than in Norway, which claims (falsely, it turns out) to be its country of origin.

Norwegian dictionaries are fond of attributing the invention of the paperclip to a young manager in a Norwegian patent office name Johan Vaaler, who filed his first patent for a paperclip in Germany in 1899 and a second in the United States in 1901. Why he chose those countries is a matter of some speculation. Patent law at the time was quite liberal, and he may have believed his invention had a better shot at widespread acceptance if it were registered in a more industrialized country. If so, Vaaler was a bit delusional. His clip lacked the last turn of the wire common in Gem clips––making it more difficult to insert paper sheets––and his design never went into mass production. That did not keep the Norwegians from issuing a commemorative stamp in 1999 on the 100th anniversary of Vaaler’s patent, however, nor diminish Vaaler’s standing as the exemplar of Norwegian inventiveness. The Norwegian fascination with the paperclip dates back to World War II when patriots wore a paperclip in their lapel as a symbol of their resistance to the German occupation.

The paperclip denoted solidarity (“we are bound together”) but local Nazis soon banned the practice, imposing severe fines on those who wore them. The giant paper clip in Sandvika, Norway. That solidarity was itself commemorated in 1989 at a college outside Oslo where a giant paperclip statue almost 7 meters high was erected in honor of Vaaler, although the monument uses as its model the Gem-type clip, not the one patented by Vaaler. “Paperclips” The Movie In 1998, 8th graders at the Whitwell middle school in southeastern Tennessee–– inspired by the legend that Norwegians wore paperclips to show their support of the Jews during World War II and presuming the inventive Vaaler himself was a Jew (both not true)––came upon the idea of collecting paperclips to represent the 6 million Jews exterminated in the Nazi holocaust. The project was a huge success and became the subject of a 2004 documentary titled “Paper Clips” that was subsequently distributed around the world by Miramax Films.

At last count, the Whitwell project had accumulated over 30 million paperclips––the first 6 million were shaped into a star of David that was used in the movie promotion–– and schoolchildren in Canada and Croatia have replicated the project. Despite its cloudy past, the paperclip endures today without any fancy marketing campaign not so much because it binds papers together, but because it is so elastic in form and function. It is small and cheap and insignificant, until you need one; then it is essential. Under the right circumstances, it can be the proverbial nail that saves the shoe that saves the horse that saves the battle that wins the war: proof positive that nothing is small and cheap, or insignificant, if you put it to good use. I think it’s time to buy another box. Profile Facts: Paper clip A paper clip (or sometimes paperclip) is an instrument used to fasten sheets of paper together. Shape and composition Small metal paper clip, with measure in centimetres.

A paper clip is usually a thin wire in a looped shape that takes advantage of the elasticity and strength of the materials of its construction (usually steel or some other metal, but sometimes plastic) to compress and therefore hold together two or more pieces of paper by means of torsion and friction. Some other kinds of paper clip use a two-piece clamping system. Recent innovations include multi-colored plastic-coated paper clips and spring-fastened binder clips. History According to the Early Office Museum, the first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the United States to 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. Fay received U.S. patent 64,088 on April 23, 1867. Although functional and practical, Fay's design along with the 50 other designs patented prior to 1899 are not considered reminiscent to the modern paperclip design known today. Another notable paper clip design was also patented in the United States by Erlman J. Wright in 1877.

This clip was advertised at that time for use in fastening newspapers. The most common type of wire paper clip still in use, the Gem paper clip, was never patented, but it was most likely in production in Britain already in the early 1870s by "The Gem Manufacturing Company", according to the American expert on technological innovations, Professor Henry J. Petroski. He refers to an 1883 article about "Gem Paper-Fasteners", praising them for being "better than ordinary pins" for "binding together papers on the same subject, a bundle of letters, or pages of a manuscript".Since the 1883 article had no illustration of this early "Gem", it may have been different from modern paper clips of that name. The earliest documentation of its existence is an advertisement for "Gem Paper Clips" published by Cushman & Denison, 172 9th Avenue, New York City, in The Book-Keeper, August 1894, p. 6. In 1904 Cushman & Denison registered a trade mark for the "Gem" name in connection with paper clips.

The announcement stated that it had been used since March 1, 1892, which may have been the time of its introduction in the United States. Paper clips are still sometimes called "Gem clips", and in Swedish the word for any paper clip is "gem". Definite proof that the modern type of paper clip was well known in 1899 at the latest is the patent granted to William Middlebrook of Waterbury, Connecticut on April 27 of that year for a "Machine for making wire paper clips". The drawing clearly shows that the product is a perfect clip of the Gem type.The fact that Middlebrook did not mention it by name, suggests that it was already well known at the time. Since then countless variations on the same theme have been patented. Some have pointed instead of rounded ends, some have the end of one loop bent slightly to make it easier to insert sheets of paper, and some have wires with undulations or barbs to get a better grip. In addition, purely aesthetic variants have been patented, clips with triangular or round shapes. But the original Gem type has for more than a hundred years proved to be the most practical, and consequently by far the most popular.

Its qualities of easy use, gripping without tearing, and storing without tangling have been difficult to improve on. It has been claimed, though apparently without evidence, that Herbert Spencer, the originator of the term "survival of the fittest", invented the paper clip. Spencer claimed in his autobiography to have invented a "binding-pin" that was distributed by Ackermann & Company, and he shows a drawing of the pin in his Appendix I (following Appendix H). This pin looked more like a modern cotter pin than a modern paper clip, but it was designed to hold sheets of paper together. It is approximatey 15 cm unfolded Norwegian claim Johan Vaaler in 1887. A Norwegian, Johan Vaaler (1866–1910), has erroneously been identified as the inventor of the paper clip. He was granted patents in Germany and in the United States (1901) for a paper clip of similar design, but less functional and practical, because it lacked the last turn of the wire. Vaaler probably did not know that a better product was already on the market, although not yet in Norway. His version was never manufactured and never marketed, because the superior Gem was already available.

Long after Vaaler's death his countrymen created a national myth based on the false assumption that the paper clip was invented by an unrecognised Norwegian genius. Norwegian dictionaries since the 1950s have mentioned Vaaler as the inventor of the paper clip, and that myth later found its way into international dictionaries and much of the international literature on paper clips. The giant paper clip in Sandvika, Norway. Vaaler probably succeeded in having his design patented abroad, despite the previous existence of more useful paper clips, because patent authorities at that time were quite liberal and rewarded any marginal modification of existing inventions. Johan Vaaler began working for Alfred J. Bryns Patentkontor in Kristiania in 1892 and was later promoted to office manager, a position he held until his death. As the employee of a patent office, he could easily have obtained a patent in Norway. His reasons for applying abroad are not known, but it is possible that he had an exaggerated confidence in his own invention and wanted to secure the commercial rights internationally. Also, he may have been aware that a Norwegian manufacturer would find it difficult to introduce a new invention abroad, starting from the small home market.

Vaaler's patents expired quietly, while the "Gem" was used worldwide, also in his own country. The failure of his design was obvious — it was too impractical. Without the two full loops of the fully developed paper clip, it was difficult to insert sheets of paper into his clip. One could manipulate the end of the inner wire so that it could receive the sheet, but the outer wire was a dead end because it could not exploit the torsion principle. The clip would instead stand out like a keel, perpendicular to the sheet of paper. The impracticality of Vaaler's design may easily be demonstrated by cutting off the last outer loop and one long side from a regular Gem clip. National symbol The paper clip patented by Johan Vaaler in 1899 and 1901. The originator of the Norwegian paper clip myth was an engineer of the national patent agency who visited Germany in the 1920s to register Norwegian patents in that country. He came across Vaaler's patent, but failed to detect that it was not the same as the then-common Gem-type clip.

In the report of the first fifty years of the patent agency, he wrote an article in which he proclaimed Vaaler to be the inventor of the common paper clip. This piece of information found its way into some Norwegian encyclopedias after World War II. Events of that war contributed greatly to the mythical status of the paper clip. Patriots wore them in their lapels as a symbol of resistance to the German occupiers and local Nazi authorities when other signs of resistance, such as flag pins or pins showing the cipher of the exiled King Haakon VII of Norway were forbidden. The clips were meant to denote solidarity and unity ("we are bound together"). The wearing of paper clips was soon prohibited, and people wearing them could risk severe punishment. The leading Norwegian encyclopedia mentioned the role of the paper clip as a symbol of resistance in a supplementary volume in 1952, but did not yet proclaim it a Norwegian invention. That information was added in later editions. According to the 1974 edition, the idea of using the paper clip to denote resistance originated in France.

A clip worn on a lapel or front pocket could be seen as "deux gaules" (two posts or poles) and be interpreted as a reference to the leader of the French Resistance, General Charles de Gaulle. The post-war years saw a widespread consolidation of the paper clip as a national symbol. Authors of books and articles on the history of Norwegian technology eagerly seized it to make a thin story more substantial. They chose to overlook the fact that Vaaler's clip was not the same as the fully developed Gem-type clip. In 1989 a giant paper clip, almost 7 meters high, was erected on the campus of a commercial college near Oslo in honour of Vaaler, ninety years after his invention was patented. But this monument shows a Gem-type clip, not the one patented by Vaaler. The celebration of the alleged Norwegian origin of the paper clip culminated in 1999, one hundred years after Vaaler submitted his application for a German patent. A commemorative stamp was issued that year, the first in a series to draw attention to Norwegian inventiveness. The background shows a facsimile of the German "Patentschrift".

However, the figure in the foreground is not the paper clip depicted on that document, but the much better-known "Gem". In 2005, the national biographical encyclopedia of Norway (Norsk biografisk leksikon) published the biography of Johan Vaaler, the inventor of the paper clip. Paper Clips Project The Paper Clips Project is celebrated in the 2004 documentary, "Paper Clips" (film), Johan Vaaler's fame as the paper clip inventor has spread worldwide, especially in the United States. When eighth-graders at Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee were to learn about the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust, one teacher had the idea of illustrating that mind-boggling number by collecting as many small and cheap objects—this was called the Paper Clips Project. According to one website, the paper clip was chosen "after they learned (that) Norwegians wore them on their clothes to show support for Jews during World War II".Another site elaborates this story even further: "That symbol of resistance originally honored Johann Vaaler, the Norwegian Jew who invented the paper clip". None of these statements are true.

Vaaler was not a Jew, he did not invent the common paper clip, and Norwegians who wore them did not do so to protest the tragic fate of the Jews, but to show loyalty to the King and the Government, and opposition to the German occupation and local Nazi authorities. But the project was a success — far more than the required 6 million clips were collected. During promotion of the film that documents the middle school project, the film's promoters contacted and partnered with Baumgarten's Office Products in Atlanta, Georgia. Baumgarten's is the company that manufactures Plastiklips and other fastening devices; they constructed displays made of green plastic paper clips shaped into the Star of David to assist with the film's promotion at theaters around the United States. Hans Baumgarten, Baumgarten's treasurer and his family of Jewish descent, left Nazi Germany, avoiding death camps. Baumgarten's Plastiklip was invented by the German Kurt Lorber, who has been a partner with Baumgarten's since WWII.

Other uses Clippy, an animated paper clip used as an office assistant in Microsoft Office Wire is versatile, and the most commonplace wire is in paper clips.[citation needed] Thus a paper clip is a useful accessory in many kinds of mechanical work including computer work: the metal wire can be unfolded with a little force. Several devices call for a very thin rod to push a recessed button which the user might only rarely need. This is seen on most CD-ROM drives as an "emergency eject" should the power fail; also on early floppy disk drives (including the early Macintosh). Both 1st generation iPhones and the iPhone 3G require a paper clip to eject the SIM card and some Palm PDAs advise the use of a paper clip to reset the device. The track ball can be removed from early Logitech pointing devices using a paper clip as the key to the bezel. A paper clip bent into a "U" can be used to start an ATX PSU without connecting it to a motherboard (connect the green to a black on the motherboard header). One or more paper clips can make a loopback device for a RS232 interface (or indeed many interfaces).

A paper clip could be installed in a Commodore 1541 disk-drive as a flexible head-stop. Paper clips have been used (unsafely) to replace fuses. Paper clips can be bent into a crude but sometimes effective lock picking device. Some types of handcuffs can be unfastened using paper clips. There are two approaches. The first one is to unfold the clip in a line and then the end to be twisted in right angle trying to imitate a key and using it to lift the lock fixator. The second approach, which is more feasible but needs some practice, is to use the semi-unfolded clip kink for lifting when the clip is inserted through the hole where the handcuffs are closed. Paper clips can be worn as bracelets and rings, thus ensuring they can be found for their other uses. Kyle MacDonald took one red paperclip and progressively traded it into a house. The Canadian blogger began with a red paper clip and posted it on Craigslist.org, later trading it for a pen. MacDonald kept trading things until he finally traded a movie role for a two-story house in Kipling, Saskatchewan. A paper clip image is the standard image for an attachment in an email client.

(source:wikipedia0 Make Zany Bookmarks from Paper Clips Make Zany Bookmarks from Paper Clips Print This Craft For lots of fun with reading projects have the kids Make Zany Bookmarks from Paper clips and just add giggles! Use fun colored oversized paperclips to make this a extra special project all kids will love to design and use at school and home. Trivia: According to the Early Office Museum, the first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the United States to 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. Supplies Instructions To Make Zany Paper Clip, cut 12 pieces of yarn approximately 6" long. Fold yarn pieces in half and half hitch to the end of the paper clip by placing the folded end down through the paper clip and drawing the cord ends down through the folded end loop. Diagram at the bottom shows how the paper clip will look with a piece of yarn half hitched to it. Style the yarn "hair". You can make pony tails with bows, unravel the yarn for curls, trim short or leave it long. Experiment with different styles.

Glue on wiggle eyes. Enjoy using your Zany Paper Clips as you read your favorite books. Other Images Click on an image to open it in a new window Contributor paper clip : definition of paper clip and synonyms of paper clip (English) For other uses, see Paper clip (disambiguation) . A few paper clips of different colors. A paper clip (or sometimes paperclip) is an instrument used to hold sheets of paper together, usually made of steel wire bent to a looped shape. Most paper clips are variations of the Gem type introduced in the 1890s or earlier, characterized by the almost two full loops made by the wire. Common to paper clips proper is their utilization of torsion and elasticity in the wire, and friction between wire and paper. When a moderate number of sheets are inserted between the two "tongues" of the clip, the tongues will be forced apart and cause torsion in the bend of the wire to grip the sheets together. Too many sheets will cause the elastic limit of the material to be exceeded, resulting in permanent deformation. Contents Shape and composition Paper clip Paper clips usually have an oblong shape with straight sides, but may also be triangular or circular, or have more elaborate shapes.

The most common material is steel or some other metal , but moulded plastic is also used. Some other kinds of paper clip use a two-piece clamping system. Recent innovations include multi-colored plastic-coated paper clips and spring -fastened binder clips . History According to the Early Office Museum, the first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the United States to 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. [1] Fay received U.S. patent 64,088 on April 23, 1867. Although functional and practical, Fay's design along with the 50 other designs patented prior to 1899 are not considered reminiscent of the modern paperclip design known today. [2] Another notable paper clip design was also patented in the United States by Erlman J. Wright in 1877. This clip was advertised at that time for use in fastening newspapers.

[1] Middlebrook 1899 patent for a paper clip machine showing that the Gem was already in common use (top and bottom) The most common type of wire paper clip still in use, the Gem paper clip, was never patented, but it was most likely in production in Britain already in the early 1870s by "The Gem Manufacturing Company", according to the American expert on technological innovations, Professor Henry J. Petroski . [3] He refers to an 1883 article about "Gem Paper-Fasteners", praising them for being "better than ordinary pins" for "binding together papers on the same subject, a bundle of letters, or pages of a manuscript". [4] Since the 1883 article had no illustration of this early "Gem", it may have been different from modern paper clips of that name. The earliest documentation of its existence is an advertisement for "Gem Paper Clips" published by Cushman & Denison, 172 9th Avenue, New York City, in The Book-Keeper, August 1894, p. 6.

[5] In 1904 Cushman & Denison registered a trade mark for the "Gem" name in connection with paper clips. The announcement stated that it had been used since March 1, 1892, which may have been the time of its introduction in the United States. [5] Paper clips are still sometimes called "Gem clips", and in Swedish the word for any paper clip is "gem". Definite proof that the modern type of paper clip was well known in 1899 at the latest, is the patent granted to William Middlebrook of Waterbury , Connecticut on April 27 of that year for a "Machine for making wire paper clips." The drawing clearly shows that the product is a perfect clip of the Gem type. [6] [7] The fact that Middlebrook did not mention it by name, suggests that it was already well known at the time. Since then countless variations on the same theme have been patented. Some have pointed instead of rounded ends, some have the end of one loop bent slightly to make it easier to insert sheets of paper, and some have wires with undulations or barbs to get a better grip.

In addition, purely aesthetic variants have been patented, clips with triangular or round shapes. [8] But the original Gem type has for more than a hundred years proved to be the most practical, and consequently by far the most popular. Its qualities—ease of use, gripping without tearing, and storing without tangling—have been difficult to improve upon. It has been claimed, [9] [10] [11] though apparently without evidence, that Herbert Spencer , the originator of the term " survival of the fittest ", invented the paper clip. Spencer claimed in his autobiography to have invented a "binding-pin" that was distributed by Ackermann & Company, and he shows a drawing of the pin in his Appendix I (following Appendix H). This pin looked more like a modern cotter pin than a modern paper clip, but it was designed to hold sheets of paper together. It is approximately 15 cm unfolded. Norwegian claim Johan Vaaler in 1887 as a student of the Christiania University . The giant paper clip in Sandvika , Norway. It shows the gem , not the one patented by Vaaler.

A Norwegian , Johan Vaaler (1866–1910), has erroneously been identified as the inventor of the paper clip. He was granted patents in Germany [12] and in the United States [13] (1901) for a paper clip of similar design, but less functional and practical, because it lacked the last turn of the wire. Vaaler probably did not know that a better product was already on the market, although not yet in Norway. His version was never manufactured and never marketed, because the superior Gem was already available. Long after Vaaler's death his countrymen created a national myth based on the false assumption that the paper clip was invented by an unrecognised Norwegian genius. Norwegian dictionaries since the 1950s have mentioned Vaaler as the inventor of the paper clip, [14] and that myth later found its way into international dictionaries and much of the international literature on paper clips. Vaaler probably succeeded in having his design patented abroad, despite the previous existence of more useful paper clips, because patent authorities at that time were quite liberal and rewarded any marginal modification of existing inventions. [15] Johan Vaaler began working for Alfred J.

Bryns Patentkontor in Kristiania in 1892 and was later promoted to office manager, a position he held until his death. [16] As the employee of a patent office, he could easily have obtained a patent in Norway. His reasons for applying abroad are not known, but it is possible that he had an exaggerated confidence in his own invention and wanted to secure the commercial rights internationally. Also, he may have been aware that a Norwegian manufacturer would find it difficult to introduce a new invention abroad, starting from the small home market. Vaaler's patents expired quietly, while the "Gem" was used worldwide, also in his own country. The failure of his design was obvious — it was too impractical. Without the two full loops of the fully developed paper clip, it was difficult to insert sheets of paper into his clip. One could manipulate the end of the inner wire so that it could receive the sheet, but the outer wire was a dead end because it could not exploit the torsion principle. The clip would instead stand out like a keel, perpendicular to the sheet of paper.

The impracticality of Vaaler's design may easily be demonstrated by cutting off the last outer loop and one long side from a regular Gem clip. National symbol The paper clip patented by Johan Vaaler in 1899 and 1901. The originator of the Norwegian paper clip myth was an engineer of the national patent agency who visited Germany in the 1920s to register Norwegian patents in that country. He came across Vaaler's patent, but failed to detect that it was not the same as the then-common Gem-type clip. [17] In the report of the first fifty years of the patent agency, he wrote an article in which he proclaimed Vaaler to be the inventor of the common paper clip. [18] This piece of information found its way into some Norwegian encyclopedias after World War II . Events of that war contributed greatly to the mythical status of the paper clip. Patriots wore them in their lapels as a symbol of resistance to the German occupiers and local Nazi authorities when other signs of resistance, such as flag pins or pins showing the cipher of the exiled King Haakon VII of Norway were forbidden.

Those wearing them did not yet see them as national symbols, as the myth of their Norwegian origin was not commonly known at the time. The clips were meant to denote solidarity and unity ("we are bound together"). The wearing of paper clips was soon prohibited, and people wearing them could risk severe punishment. [19] The leading Norwegian encyclopedia mentioned the role of the paper clip as a symbol of resistance in a supplementary volume in 1952, but did not yet proclaim it a Norwegian invention. [20] That information was added in later editions. According to the 1974 edition, the idea of using the paper clip to denote resistance originated in France . A clip worn on a lapel or front pocket could be seen as "deux gaules" (two posts or poles) and be interpreted as a reference to the leader of the French Resistance , General Charles de Gaulle . [21] The post-war years saw a widespread consolidation of the paper clip as a national symbol. Authors of books and articles on the history of Norwegian technology eagerly seized it to make a thin story more substantial. They chose to overlook the fact that Vaaler's clip was not the same as the fully developed Gem-type clip.

[22] In 1989 a giant paper clip, almost 7 meters high, was erected on the campus of a commercial college near Oslo in honour of Vaaler, ninety years after his invention was patented. But this monument shows a Gem-type clip, not the one patented by Vaaler. The celebration of the alleged Norwegian origin of the paper clip culminated in 1999, one hundred years after Vaaler submitted his application for a German patent. A commemorative stamp was issued that year, the first in a series to draw attention to Norwegian inventiveness. The background shows a facsimile of the German "Patentschrift". However, the figure in the foreground is not the paper clip depicted on that document, but the much better-known "Gem". In 2005, the national biographical encyclopedia of Norway (Norsk biografisk leksikon) published the biography of Johan Vaaler, stating he was the inventor of the paper clip. [23] Paper Clips Project The Paper Clips Project is celebrated in the 2004 documentary, "Paper Clips" (film) , Paper Clips Project Johan Vaaler's fame as the paper clip inventor has spread worldwide, especially in the United States.

When eighth-graders at Whitwell Middle School in Tennessee were to learn about the murder of six million Jews during the Holocaust , one teacher had the idea of illustrating that mind-boggling number by collecting as many small and cheap objects—this was called the Paper Clips Project . According to one website, the paper clip was chosen "after they learned (that) Norwegians wore them on their clothes to show support for Jews during World War II". [24] Another site elaborates this story even further: "That symbol of resistance originally honored Johann Vaaler, the Norwegian Jew who invented the paper clip". [25] Both of these statements are false. Vaaler was not a Jew, [26] he did not invent the common paper clip, and Norwegians who wore them did not do so to protest the tragic fate of the Jews, but to show national concord and solidarity, and opposition to the German occupation and local Nazi authorities. [19] But the project was a success — far more than the required 6 million clips were collected. During promotion of the film that documents the middle school project, the film's promoters contacted and partnered with Baumgarten's Office Products in Atlanta , Georgia .

Baumgarten's is the company that manufactures Plastiklips and other fastening devices; they constructed displays made of green plastic paper clips shaped into the Star of David to assist with the film's promotion at theaters around the United States. Hans Baumgarten, Baumgarten's treasurer and his family of Jewish descent, left Nazi Germany, avoiding death camps. Baumgarten's Plastiklip was invented by the German Kurt Lorber, who has been a partner with Baumgarten's since World War II. Paper Clip Project was expanded by Wayne McIntyre in Canada and by Miljenko Hajdarovic in Croatia. Other uses Wire is versatile in its nature. Thus a paper clip is a useful accessory in many kinds of mechanical work including computer work: the metal wire can be unfolded with a little force. Several devices call for a very thin rod to push a recessed button which the user might only rarely need. This is seen on most CD-ROM drives as an "emergency eject" should the power fail; also on early floppy disk drives (including the early Macintosh ).

Both 1st generation iPhones and the iPhone 3G require a paper clip to eject the SIM card and some Palm PDAs advise the use of a paper clip to reset the device. The track ball can be removed from early Logitech pointing devices using a paper clip as the key to the bezel. A paper clip bent into a "U" can be used to start an ATX PSU without connecting it to a motherboard (connect the green to a black on the motherboard header). One or more paper clips can make a loopback device for a RS232 interface (or indeed many interfaces). A paper clip could be installed in a Commodore 1541 disk-drive as a flexible head-stop. Paper clips have been used (unsafely) to replace fuses. Paper clips can be bent into a crude but sometimes effective lock picking device. Some types of handcuffs can be unfastened using paper clips. There are two approaches. The first one is to unfold the clip in a line and then the end to be twisted in right angle trying to imitate a key and using it to lift the lock fixator.

The second approach, which is more feasible but needs some practice, is to use the semi-unfolded clip kink for lifting when the clip is inserted through the hole where the handcuffs are closed.[ citation needed ] Paper clips can be worn as bracelets and rings, thus ensuring they can be found for their other uses. A paper clip image is the standard image for an attachment in an email client . Other fastening devices May 2016 - Today Day Info By Nimesh Patel 09:48:00 Days , June , June 1 Say Something Nice Day June 1 is Say Something Nice Day observed every year. Say Something Nice Day began in Charleston, South Carolina, when the Mayors of North Charleston and Charleston came together with members of the Charleston-Atlantic Presbytery and the South Carolina. The purpose of this holiday is to counteract bullying and the lack of civility and common courtesy that is growing among people in today’s world. Hopefully the practice of “saying something nice today” will continue onto all tomorrows. The message of the day is that positivity goes a long way in spreading happiness and joy. When we are kind in our interactions with others, we receive positivity and kindness back.

This enriches our lives, makes us happy and keeps us healthy - studies have shown that happy people are healthier and live longer. By Nimesh Patel 09:38:00 Days , June , June 1 Go Barefoot Day Go Barefoot Day is observed on June 1. The real purpose behind this quirky holiday is to encourage people to donate new and used shoes to the victims of natural disasters. Go Barefoot Day was launched by a non-profit organization calledSoles4Souls. Take a moment to do a little spring cleaning and give away the shoes you no longer need. You can even organize a shoe drive in your community. The holiday got its start after the Tsunami disaster in 2004 to support those affected by the event. However, donations have continued to come in and over 19 millions of pairs of shoes have been donated worldwide since 2005. Now is a good time to donate a pair or two of gently used shoes to a charitable organization in your area. By Nimesh Patel 09:31:00 Days , June , June 1 Hazelnut Cake Day June 1st is The Hazelnut Cake Day.

Hazelnuts give any cake perfect nutty flavor, these nuts are underestimated. Worldwide there are over 100 varieties of hazelnuts grown and 70% of those come from Turkey. However, in the U.S. 99% of our hazelnuts are grown in Oregon instead of being imported. There are several kinds of hazelnut cakes you can make. Use hazelnuts in any form that you like. Add whole or chopped nuts to the batter or use grounded hazelnuts to substitute some part of flour. No matter what kind you prefer, the distinctive and rich nutty flavor is a winner. Cadbury-Schweppes company in Australia imports over 2,000 tons of hazelnuts annually. The nuts are used for chocolate, but some amount undergoes pressure to produce strongly flavored hazelnut oil. Hazelnut Cake Recipe Spend some time in the kitchen baking up a delicious hazelnut cake as you take part in National Hazelnut Cake Day. By Nimesh Patel 10:29:00 Days , May , May 31 Macaroon Day On May 31 Macaroon Day is observed each year.

Macaroons are small unleavened cakes with a crispy outer layer and a moist, chewy center. Although they are the same size as cookies, macaroons do not contain any flour and therefore do not fall into that classification. The coconut macaroon is most commonly found in the United States. Most varieties of coconut macaroons are dipped in milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate. Almonds, pecans, cashews or other nuts are sometimes added to the cookie. Culinary historians believe that macaroons originated in Italy. In fact, the word “macaroon” comes from the Italian word for paste: “maccarone.” In 1533, Italian monks and nuns introduced macaroons to France. Two Benedictine nuns, Sister Marguerite and Sister Marie-Elisabeth, began baking and selling these small sweets to help pay for their housing. They became known as the “Macaroon Sisters,” and their baking became famous throughout Europe. Following are two macaroon recipes for you to try and enjoy.

Coconut Macaroons By Nimesh Patel 10:23:00 Days , May , May 31 No Tobacco Day People also observed No Tobacco Day on Each May 31st. No Tobacco Day is a day to draw attention to the negative effects of tobacco and smoking, where each year the WHO awards individuals and organizations who make an exceptional contribution to the reduction of smoking and tobacco consumption. It speeds up our heart rate, raises the blood pressure and makes us feel more energetic for a temporary amount of time. As we know the lasting effects are much more dangerous... Medical research made it clear during the 1900s that tobacco use increased the likelihood of many illnesses including heart attacks, strokes, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), emphysema and many forms of cancer. People, non-governmental organizations and governments unite on World No Tobacco Day to draw attention to the health problems that tobacco use can cause. By Nimesh Patel 10:45:00 Days , May , May 30 Mint Julep Day Mint Julep Day is observed annually on May 30.

This drink was introduced at the Kentucky Derby in the 1930s and since then it has become the event's official drink. A classic mint julep is made with a mint leaf, bourbon, sugar and water. In the Southern states, where mint julep is more associated with the cuisine, spearmint is the mint of choice. Preparation of the drink may vary from one bartender to another. Were you desperately hoping for a refreshing bourbon cocktail but frustrated that you didn’t have a good enough excuse? Thankfully for you, Mint Julep Day is here to pander to your wildest fantasies… just as long as those fantasies involved sipping this classic cocktail. Invite your friends over for a party with homemade mint julep. Enjoy this unique drink even when Kentucky Derby is over. The refreshing taste of mint julep is perfect for any hot summer day. By Nimesh Patel 10:39:00 Days , May , May 30 Water a Flower Day Recognized each year on May 30 is National Water a Flower Day. To keep your flowers alive, you have to water them.

Water a Flower Day remembers you to water your flowers and is an opportunity to give them an extra sip of water to thank for their wonderful colors. To celebrate Water a Flower Day you can use a watering can or watering pot. If you don't own such a thing, simply use a bottle or maybe even a cooking pot or a mug. You could also take smaller plants or flowers directly to the sink and water them with tap water. The only important thing is to take good care of your flowers that day, so don't forget to celebrate the day and tell everyone about it. This is a fun day; a day to enjoy the happiness that flowers bring to people. It is possible that you know someone who is home-bound, hospitalized, needs some cheering up or that you want to say “thank you to” or just to “make someone’s day. If so, then It would be a great day to take them a bouquet of flowers, but remember to “water the flowers” before you deliver them. By Nimesh Patel 09:12:00 Days , May , May 29 Coq Au Vin Day Celebrated annually on May 29 is National Coq Au Vin Day.

Coq au vin is French for “rooster with wine”. Indeed, rooster is slowly cooked in a rich sauce, made from wine, mushrooms, garlic and lardons (salted pork). In the USA the dish was slightly changed – chicken is used instead of rooster and ham replaced lardons. Different legends tell of Coq au vin back in the days of Gaul and Julius Caesar. However, the first documented recipe was in the early 20th century. There was a somewhat similar recipe, poulet au vin blanc, that appeared in an 1864 cookbook. Enjoy this Coq Au Vin recipe. By the way, the older the rooster, the better the dish. Old roosters have more connective tissues that create a richer broth. By Nimesh Patel 09:05:00 Paperclip Day is observed each year on May 29. Yes, even the paper clip should have its own holiday. The paper clip as we know it was most likely designed by Norwegian inventor Johan Vaaler.

In fact, an enormous paper clip over a meter wide and five meters tall was erected in Sandvika, Norway, to remind people about the role this tiny object played in the nation’s history. The first patent for a bent wire paper clip was awarded in the Samuel B. Fay in 1867 in the United States. Originally, the paper clip was designed for attaching tickets to fabric, although the patent recognized that it could be used to attach papers together. However, that model of paper clip did not resemble the one we know today all that much. While there are much earlier claims to the invention of the paperclip, according to the Early Office Museum, the first patent for a “bent wire paper clip” was presented to Samuel B. Fay in the United States in 1867. The original intention of Fay’s clip was to attach tickets to fabric. However, U.S. patent 64,088 recognized that it could also be used to attach papers together. By Nimesh Patel 20:01:00 Days , May , May 28 Brisket Day May 28 is National Brisket Day observed annually.

One of the nine primal cuts of beef, brisket comes from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal. Brisket is a tough and relatively inexpensive cut of meat. While it requires some patience to cook brisket to tenderness, the reward is well worth the effort. Brisket requires slow cooking on a low fire, otherwise meat will be too tough. During the cooking process tough tissues are broken down, that is why you have a tender piece of meat. Spice mixes are used to give brisket a special flavor. Mix usually consists of salt, brown sugar, garlic, cumin, chili powder, black pepper, but it can be changed to your liking. Marinades are typically used to make meat tender. Soy source, Worcestershire sauce and liquid smoke are the most popular choices. Select a well-marbled cut of meat and cook brisket any way you want. Add some spice, you can make it fork tender and delightfully tasty. By Nimesh Patel 19:49:00 Days , May , May 28 Hamburger Day Hamburger Day is observed each year on May 28.

It is most likely that the hamburger sandwich first appeared in the 19th or early 20th centuries. Hamburgers originated in Hamburg, Germany, eating a burger on a bun is actually an American tradition. The hamburger as we know it was most likely invented in Seymour, Wisconsin. The humble hamburger is a staple of western culture. Burger joints, takeaway food outlets and all-night-eateries serve them up in their millions – with cheese, salad, gherkins and pickles, bacon and sauces. The delicious ways you can customize your burger — add bacon, ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, mayo, and your other favorite fixings. Over the years, the hamburger has become a culinary icon in the United States. To celebrate this Hamburger Day, with your friends and grill up some tasty burgers. By Nimesh Patel 07:53:00 Days , May , May 27 Cellophane Tape Day Observed annually on May 27th is National Cellophane Tape Day. It is hard to imagine where we would be without this invention.

This common household and office item, which is also known as invisible tape or Scotch Tape, was invented by Richard Gurley Drew (June 22, 1899 – December 14, 1980). Drew joined the 3M Company in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1920, first inventing the masking tape in 1926, followed by the invention of the cellophane tape in 1930. The Scotch brand and Scotch Tape are registered trademarks of 3M. Besides using Scotch as a prefix in its brand names (Scotchgard,Scotchlite, and Scotch-Brite), the company also used the Scotch name for its (mainly professional) audiovisual magnetic tape products, until the early 1990s when the tapes were branded solely with the 3M logo.

By Nimesh Patel 07:42:00 Days , May , May 27 Sun Screen Day Today May 27 Sun Screen Day as a reminder to make sure you are properly protecting yourself from the sun, such as by keeping out of the rays at the hottest time of the day (11 am – 2pm), drinking plenty of liquids and, of course, wearing sun screen. Did you know that there are many scientists that are credited with discovering modern sunscreen? In 1936, chemist Eugene Schueller invented a preventative sunburn cream, and went on to start L’Oreal. Around the same time, Swiss chemist Franz Greiter was inspired to develop a sun lotion after he was sunburned while climbing Mount Piz Buin. His product came to the market under the name Piz Buin in 1946, and is still sold today. In 1944, Florida pharmacist Benjamin Green patented Red Vet Pet sunscreen, which became Coppertone suntan cream and was very popular throughout the 1950s and still is today.

Sun screen defends the skin from damaging ultraviolet rays by forming a protective barrier – used properly, sun screen can help prevent skin cancer. Exposure to the sun also damages the skin and can worsen signs of ageing, so wearing sun screen will also keep your skin looking younger. By Nimesh Patel 09:26:00 Days , May , May 26 Blueberry Cheesecake Day Blueberry Cheesecake Day is observed on May 26th. cheesecake recipes can be traced all the way back to Ancient Greece, the flavored versions we know and love today are a fairly recent innovation. People have come up with all sorts of interesting and unique cheesecake flavors, but today is a celebration of the classic blueberry variety. The type of cheese used to make cheesecake has a huge impact on the flavor and texture of this delicious dessert. American cheesecakes are made with cream cheese, Italian cheesecakes are made with ricotta, and German and Polish cheesecakes are made with “quark” cheese, which is a type of curd cheese.

Try these recipes: By Nimesh Patel 09:20:00 Days , May , May 26 World Lindy Hop Day People celebrate World Lindy Hop Day on every May 26. Also known as the jitterbug, Lindy Hop originated in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s and 1930s. After a decline in popularity in the 1950s, this form of swing music is back and infecting more and more followers with its undeniable vitality. It’s an energetic dance that originated in black communities in Harlem, in New York City. If you want a true experience, try to seek out a venue with live big-band jazz. It’s fun, frenetic, occasionally frenzied, and is likely to leave you exhausted, but don’t worry: you only need to do it once every year. A combination of different kinds of dances, including jazz, swing and tap, Lindy Hop is a two-person dance where the partners dance hand in hand or in an embrace to jazz music. Just as in jazz, there is some form of improvisation that takes place during the dance.

By Nimesh Patel 09:36:00 Days , May , May 25 Tap Dance Day May 25 is National Tap Dance Day in the USA. Celebrations are held today nationwide and even in other counties, as in India, Australia, Japan and Iceland. Different activities are organized at schools and tap dancing studios. Everyone can attend master classes, street dancing flash mobs and concerts. The brainchild of Carol Vaughn, Nicola Daval and Linda Christensen, National Tap Dance Day was first presented to U.S. Congress on February 7, 1989 and was signed into American Law by President George. H.W. Bush on November 8, 1989. The one-time official observance was on May 25, 1989. May 25 is the birthday of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson, a significant contributor to tap dance born in 1878. National Tap Dance Day has continued to be celebrated each year on May 25. “Shim Sham Shimmy” is one of the popular tap dance routine and it is regarded as tap dance's national anthem.

Everyone can learn this dance on National Tap Dance Day, as far many studios send people to the streets to teach passers-by. By Nimesh Patel 09:29:00 Days , May , May 25 Wine Day May 25 is National Wine Day. Wine has been an important part of human history and culture for thousands of years. Regardless of whether you prefer red, white, pinot, or cabernet, everyone can appreciate today’s celebration. “Wine is an alcoholic beverage made from fermented grapes or other fruits. The natural chemical balance of grapes lets them ferment without the addition of sugars, acids, enzymes, water, or other nutrients. Yeast consumes the sugars in the grapes and converts them into alcohol. Different varieties of grapes and strains of yeasts produce different types of wine. In 1867, Archaeologists in Speyer, Germany discovered the oldest bottle of wine in existence while they were excavating two Roman stone sarcophaguses. It dates back to at least 325 AD. The bottle of wine is now on display at the History Museum of the Pfalz in Germany.

on this day, people enjoy a glass of their favorite wine with dinner, for dessert, with friends, at a restaurant, at home or at a wine-tasting event. By Nimesh Patel 09:50:00 Days , May , May 24 Escargot Day Escargot Day is observed on May 24. Escargot is a tasty appetizer made with land snails cooked in butter or wine. While the dish most likely originated in Ancient Roman times, escargot is usually associated with French cuisine. In fact, the French consume around 40,000 metric tons of snails each year. The dish of Escargot is usually prepared by removing the land snails from their shells, cooking them with garlic, butter and wine. They are then placed back into their shells with the sauce for serving. The dish is served with a special fork and tong for easier dining. Farms producing Helix aspersa for sale exist in Europe and in the United States. Escargot {es.kar.go} is the French word for snail. If you've never tasted escargot, National Escargot Day is a great reason to give them a try.

By Nimesh Patel 09:44:00 Days , May , May 24 Scavenger Hunt Day May 24 is Scavenger Hunt Day. Today is set aside as a day to enjoy the “good ol’ fashioned” fun of a scavenger hunt. Scavenger hunts have become popular at weekend get to gether’s, parties, family gatherings and holidays, however, today would be a great day to have a scavenger hunt at the office or put one together for the neighborhood kids and let the fun begin. A scavenger hunt is a game where individuals or teams compete to find items or perform tasks provided to them as a list by the organizers of the game. The aim of the game is for participants to fulfil the requirements on the list. Usually, at the end the hunt a grand prize awaits the first person/ team to reach the end of the list. American gossip columnist, author, songwriter and professional hostess Elsa Maxwell (May 24, 1883 – November 1, 1963) is credited with the introduction of the scavenger hunt for use as a party game in the modern era.

By Nimesh Patel 10:00:00 Days , May , May 23 Lucky Penny Day Lucky Penny Day is observed each year on May 23rd. The penny was officially introduced into England in 757 A.D. For centuries, finding a penny has been considered a good omen, an event that suggested something good would happen in the life of the finder. 1793 – The first pennies in the United States were made of copper. Pennies are often just a nuisance. They don’t seem to be worth much, especially considering their weight, which is decidedly disproportionate to their actual value. Lucky Penny Day is the perfect time to show them the value of money, and just how far a dollar or two can go for someone truly in need. All day long you'll have good luck." If you are superstitious be careful to only pick up pennies lying face up. Well whether you believe it or not. By Nimesh Patel 09:55:00 Days , May , May 23 Taffy Day Today, May 23rd, we can all take a moment to appreciate Taffy.

Salt Water Taffy, Laffy Taffy, Original Taffy. All kinds. Salt water taffy in was invented 1883 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Taffies are available in many flavors and colors. The most popular are fruit flavors, like banana and lemon, but actually anything can go. Even salt water! But the very first taffies were flavorless. Later molasses and vanilla were added to make candies better. That was the beginning of experiments with different flavors. Color experiments began much later and they were designated to match the flavor of the candies. There are many rumors on that how they were created. The most popular legend says, that a candy store was flooded during the storm, and the candies soaked in saltwater. When a little girl came to buy a taffy, the owner said, that she could offer her only salt water taffy. Little girl was delighted with it and bought one. She brought the candy to show her friends. Mother of shop owner heard the conversation and loved the name of the candy. That is how salt water taffy was born. Choose your favorite taffies to celebrate the holiday and share them with your family and friends.

Question: In 1867 Samuel B Fay of the United States was awarded the first patent for which piece of office equipment
Answer: Paper clip