Aging Antiques by Patent Number

Here's a great resource for aging antiques by their patent dates. Simply match the patent number found on your item to the number ranges below. The years those patents were issued is found on the left.

Patents are issued on a great deal of products in the United States. Many times those patent numbers are indicated directly on products or their labels. Occasionally successive or multiple patents are listed. In those cases, use the latest patent number as an indicator of age. And remember those patents may have been issued many years before your particular item was produced.

Here's a little history on the US Patent law.

• 1836: 1 - 109
• 1837: 110 - 545
• 1838: 546-1,105
• 1839: 1,106-1,464
• 1840: 1,465-1,922
• 1841: 1,923-2,412
• 1842: 2,413-2,900
• 1843: 2,901-3,394
• 1844: 3,395-3,872
• 1845: 3,873-4,347
• 1846: 4,348-4,913
• 1847: 4,914-5,408

• 1848: 5,409-5,992
• 1849: 5,993-6,980
• 1850: 6,981-7,864
• 1851: 7,865-8,621
• 1852: 8,622-9,511
• 1853: 9,512-10,357
• 1854: 10,358-12,116
• 1855: 12,117-14,008
• 1856: 14,009-16,323
• 1857: 16,324-19,009
• 1858: 19,010-22,476
• 1859: 22,477-26,641

• 1860: 26,642-31,004
• 1861: 31,005-34,044
• 1862: 34,045-37,265
• 1863: 37,266-41,046
• 1864: 41,047-45,684
• 1865: 45,685-51,783
• 1866: 51,784-60,657
• 1867: 60,658-72,958
• 1868: 72,959-85,502
• 1869: 85,503-98,459
• 1870: 98,460-110,616
• 1871: 110,617-122,303

• 1872: 122,304-134,503
• 1873: 134,504-146,119
• 1874: 146,120-158,349
• 1875: 158,350-171,640
• 1876: 171,641-185,812
• 1877: 185,813-198,732
• 1878: 198,733-211,077
• 1879: 211,078-223,210
• 1880: 223,211-236,136
• 1881: 236,137-251,684
• 1882: 251,685-269,819
• 1883: 269,820-291,015

• 1884: 291,916-310,162
• 1885: 310,163-333,493
• 1886: 333,494-355,290
• 1887: 355,291-375,719
• 1888: 375,720-395,304
• 1889: 395,305-418,664
• 1890: 418,665-443,986
• 1891: 443,987-466,314
• 1892: 466,315-488,975
• 1893: 488,976-511,743
• 1894: 511,744-531,618
• 1895: 531,619-552,501

• 1896: 552,502-574,368
• 1897: 574,369-596,466
• 1898: 596,467-616,870
• 1899 : 616,871-640,166
• 1900 : 640,167-664,826
• 1901: 664,827-690,384
• 1902: 690,385-717,520
• 1903: 717,521-748,566
• 1904: 748,567-778,833
• 1905: 778,834-808,617
• 1906: 808,618-839,798
• 1907: 839,799-875,678

• 1908: 875,679-908,435
• 1909: 908,436-945,009
• 1910: 945,010-980,177
• 1911: 980,178-1,013,094
• 1912: 1,013,095-1,049,325
• 1913: 1,049,326-1,083,266
• 1914: 1,083,267-1,123,211
• 1915: 1,123,212-1,166,418
• 1916: 1,166,419-1,210,388
• 1917: 1,210,389-1,251,457
• 1918: 1,251,458-1,290,026
• 1919: 1,290,027-1,326,898

• 1920: 1,326,899-1,364,062
• 1921: 1,364,063-1,401,947
• 1922: 1,401,948-1,440,361
• 1923: 1,440,362-1,478,995
• 1924: 1,478,996-1,521,589
• 1925: 1,521,590-1,568,039
• 1926: 1,568,040-1,612,699
• 1927: 1,612,700-1,654,520
• 1928: 1,654,521-1,696,896
• 1929: 1,696,897-1,742,180
• 1930: 1,742,181-1,787,423
• 1931: 1,787,424-1,839,189

• 1932: 1,839,190-1,892,662
• 1933: 1,892,663-1,941,448
• 1934: 1,941,449-1,985,877
• 1935: 1,985,878-2,026,515
• 1936: 2,026,516-2,066,308
• 1937: 2,066,309-2,104,003
• 1938: 2,104,004-2,142,079
• 1939: 2,142,080-2,185,169
• 1940: 2,185,170-2,227,417
• 1941: 2,227,418-2,268,539
• 1942: 2,268,540-2,307,006
• 1943: 2,307,007-2,338,080

• 1944: 2,338,081-2,366,153
• 1945: 2,366,154-2,391,855
• 1946: 2,391,856-2,413,674
• 1947: 2,413,675-2,433,823
• 1948: 2,433,824-2,457,796
• 1949: 2,457,797-2,492,943
• 1950: 2,492,944-2,536,015
• 1951: 2,536,016-2,580,378
• 1952: 2,580,379-2,624,045
• 1953: 2,624,046-2,664,561
• 1954: 2,664,562-2,698,433
• 1955: 2,698,434-2,728,912

• 1956: 2,728,913-2,775,761
• 1957: 2,775,762-2,818,566
• 1958: 2,818,567-2,866,972
• 1959: 2,866,973-2,919,442
• 1960: 2,919,443-2,966,680
• 1961: 2,966,681-3,015,102
• 1962: 3,015,103-3,070,800
• 1963: 3,070,801-3,116,486
• 1964: 3,116,487-3,163,864
• 1965: 3,163,865-3,226,728
• 1966: 3,226,729-3,295,142
• 1967: 3,295,143-3,360,799

• 1968: 3,360,800-3,419,906
• 1969: 3,419,907-3,487,469
• 1970: 3,487,470-3,551,908
• 1971: 3,551,909-3,631,538
• 1972: 3,631,539-3,707,728
• 1973: 3,707,729-3,781,913
• 1974: 3,781,914-3,858,240
• 1975: 3,858,241-3,930,270
• 1976: 3,930,271-4,000,519
• 1977: 4,000,520-4,065,811
• 1978: 4,065,812-4,131,951
• 1979: 4,131,952-4,180,866

• 1980: 4,180,867-4,242,756
• 1981: 4,242,757-4,308,621
• 1982: 4,308,622-4,366,578
• 1983: 4,366,579-4,423,522
• 1984: 4,423,523-4,490,884
• 1985: 4,490,885-4,562,595
• 1986: 4,562,596-4,633,525
• 1987: 4,633,526-4,716,593
• 1988: 4,716,594-4,794,651
• 1989: 4,794,652-4,890,334
• 1990: 4,890,335-4,980,926