We've Been Wrong About Who Invented the Paper Clip

Added: 2026-06-02

[00:00:03]Take a look around your desk. Chances are there's a paperclip [music] somewhere nearby. It's one of those everyday objects that almost nobody thinks about. It's cheap, simple, and has barely changed in over a century.

[00:00:16]Yet, this tiny piece of bent wire solved a [music] surprisingly annoying problem that people struggled with for generations. How do you keep papers together without damaging them?

[00:00:29]Today, paperclips are so common that they're practically [music] invisible.

[00:00:33]Millions are manufactured every day, and most of us use them without giving them a second thought.

[00:00:40]But, the story behind the paperclip [music] is far more complicated than you'd expect. In fact, the object we call a paperclip wasn't invented by a single person. And the design most people recognize [music] today wasn't even the first version. So, who actually invented the paperclip? And how did a small piece of wire become one of the most [music] successful office supplies in history? Let's break it down, right here on History of Simple Things.

[00:01:19]Before paperclips existed, organizing documents was surprisingly difficult.

[00:01:25]For centuries, people used ribbon strings, straight pins, wax seals, and even sewing needles to hold papers together. While these methods worked, they often came with problems. Pins could prick fingers and leave holes in important documents. Strings required extra time to tie and untie. Wax seals were permanent and inconvenient if changes needed to be made later.

[00:01:51]As businesses expanded during the Industrial Revolution, paperwork exploded. Governments, banks, law firms, and companies generated more documents than ever before. Clerks and office workers desperately needed a faster and safer way to organize stacks of paper.

[00:02:11]This growing demand inspired inventors across Europe and North America to experiment with various paper fastening devices throughout the 1800s.

[00:02:25]One common misconception is that the paper clip was invented in a single moment by one genius inventor. The reality is much messier. During the late 19th century, dozens of inventors patented different wire-based paper fasteners. Some resembled modern paper clips, while others looked more like elaborate hooks, loops, or clamps. One of the earliest known patents was granted in the United States in 1867 to Samuel B. Fay. However, his design wasn't actually intended for papers. It was originally meant to attach tickets to pieces of fabric, such as clothing or textiles. Over the following decades, inventors continued refining the concept. Various versions appeared in patent records across several countries.

[00:03:16]Some worked reasonably well, while others were awkward and difficult to manufacture. The challenge was finding a design that was simple, inexpensive, easy to use, and capable of securely holding papers without tearing them.

[00:03:34]The paper clip most people recognize today is known as the Gem clip.

[00:03:39]Interestingly, nobody knows exactly who invented it.

[00:03:43]The Gem Manufacturing Company in England began producing this style of clip in the 1870s, but there is no known patent for the design. Somehow, the company created a shape so effective that it quickly outperformed competing designs.

[00:03:58]The Gem clip consists of a single piece of wire bent into two overlapping loops.

[00:04:05]That may sound simple, but the design solves multiple problems at once. The loops create tension that grips paper securely. The smooth wire avoids damaging documents. And because it's made from a single piece of metal, it can be manufactured cheaply in enormous quantities. By the early 1900s, the Gem clip had become widely used across offices around the world. Many alternative designs faded into obscurity, while the Gem clip became the standard. Sometimes, the simplest solution turns out to be the best one.

[00:04:45]If you've ever searched for the inventor of the paper clip, you may have come across the name Johan Vaaler, a Norwegian inventor.

[00:04:54]For many years, people believed Vaaler invented the paper clip in 1899.

[00:04:59]Schools, museums, and even monuments helped spread this story.

[00:05:04]However, historians later discovered that the situation was more complicated.

[00:05:09]Vaaler did patent a paper fastening device, but his design lacked the crucial inner loop that makes the modern Gem clip work so effectively. His version was actually less practical than the Gem clip, which was already being manufactured and sold before he received his patent. Despite this, Vaaler became associated with the paper clip because Norway embraced him as a national inventor. Over time, the story grew into a popular myth. Today, historians generally agree that while Vaaler did create a paper fastening design, he was not the inventor of the familiar paper clip used worldwide.

[00:05:56]The paper clip gained an unusual role during World War II.

[00:06:00]When Norway was occupied by Nazi Germany, some Norwegians began wearing paper clips on their clothing as quiet symbols of unity and resistance.

[00:06:10]The clip represented the idea of people holding together during difficult times.

[00:06:15]Although wearing paper clips eventually attracted the attention of occupying authorities, the symbol remained an important part of Norwegian wartime history.

[00:06:26]It's remarkable that an office supply designed to organize paperwork became a symbol of solidarity and courage.

[00:06:38]The paper clip is a perfect example of how great inventions aren't always flashy or complicated. It doesn't have an engine, a screen, or a power source.

[00:06:49]It's simply a piece of wire bent into a clever shape. Yet that tiny invention transformed offices, schools, and businesses around the world. It solved a common problem so effectively that more than a century later, we still use essentially the same design. And perhaps that's the ultimate sign of successful engineering. When something works so well that nobody feels the need to improve it, it quietly becomes part of everyday life. The next time you pick up a paper clip, remember that behind that little piece of wire lies a surprisingly fascinating story of invention, competition, mistaken identity, and even resistance during wartime.

[00:07:36]Thank you for watching. If you have suggestions for our next video, feel free to share them in the comments below.

[00:07:43]We'll be sure to give you an acknowledgement for your contribution.

[00:07:51]Thank you for joining us on this journey through the history of simple things.

[00:07:55]Don't forget to like, subscribe, and stay tuned for more stories woven through the smallest details.