Whose idea was the paper clip?
Quick Answer
Nobody knows for sure. The familiar double-loop 'Gem' clip was never patented and its designer is unknown. It is often credited to Norwegian Johan Vaaler, but his 1899 design was different and was never made.
The Full Story
The classic paper clip with two oval loops is known as the Gem clip. It probably appeared in Britain in the 1870s, linked to the Gem Manufacturing Company, but no one ever patented the design, so its inventor is unknown. In 1899 William Middlebrook of Waterbury, Connecticut, patented a machine for making paper clips, and his patent drawing shows the Gem shape, which shows it was already well known. Norway often credits Johan Vaaler, who patented a wire clip in Germany in 1899 and the United States in 1901. His version lacked the second loop, did not work as well and was never manufactured. The story grew after Norwegians wore paper clips as a quiet symbol of resistance during the Second World War.
Key Facts
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Suggested video title for this topic:
"The world's most famous paper clip inventor didn't invent it"
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