U.S. Patent Chart

Dating Vintage Jewelry by Patent Number

Dating antique or vintage jewelry by general patents can narrow down the date of your jewelry item by finding which year the jewelry patent number was issued.  The following list includes U.S. patent numbers and the years they were issued.  For example, if a brooch or pin has a patent number of 2066969, by looking at the table below that tells us that particular patent was issued in 1937 so the brooch was made sometime after 1937.  Remember, patents register designs or inventions, and the actual piece may have been manufactured much later than the patent date.

ISSUE
YEAR        PATENT NUMBER

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
1991         4,980,927-5,077,835
1992         5,077,836-5,175,885
1993         5,175,886-5,274,845
1994         5,274,846-5,377,358
1995         5,377,359-5479657

For further resources, or to search a particular patent, there are lots of places on the web including the U.S. Patent Office.  You can also look for specific jewelry and other patents using Google's patent search.