The paperclip is an interesting example of how simplicity can become an icon of design. There is some discourse over who initially designed the paperclip, primarily because in 1899 the norwegian designer Johan Vaaler patented the paper-clip shape but at the same time in England, William Middlebrook patented machinery used to manufacture what he named the “Gem” paperclip. Regardless, the shape hasn’t changed much over the centuries, and even with all the different iterations and shapes, the 1899 version remains at the top. Now, the paperclip is an ubiquitous article which has become both a background character in our offices and an icon which transcends its original use.
