History of Intellectual Property

Articles & Resources

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Happy Anniversary of the first American Patent Act
Two hundred and twelve years ago the first patent act of the United States was passed - Read about the history and view historical images of early patent offices and drawings

Original U.S. Patent Number One
View U.S. patent No. 1 issued on July 13th, 1836

Original X-Patent circa 1832
Original X-patent dated 1832

The First Patent Office
View images of the first U.S. patent office.

A Trip To The Patent and Trademark Office
The United States Patent and Trademark Office or PTO - the history of patents.

The History of Patents
The first recorded patent of invention was granted to John of Utynam. In 1449, he was awarded a 20-year monopoly for a glass-making process previously unknown in England.

The History of Software Patents (BitLaw)
In the 1970s, the P.T.O. avoided granting any patent if the invention utilized a calculation made by a computer. In the 1980s, the Supreme Court forced the P.T.O. to change its position.

History of the United States Patent Office
A complete online book written by Kenneth W. Dobyns.

History of U.K. Intellectual Property
Several topics covered including historical images, trademarks, copyrights, and patents.

The History of Patent Models
The Patent Act of 1790 established the United States Patent Office, which required applicants to submit working models of their inventions along with the patent application.