Don't know much about patent dates on Bic pens but I graduated from high
school in 1968 and I was using Bic pens long before that. As for Bic
lighters but they seem to have become suddenly popular in the early 1970s.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Pfeiffer" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, August 13, 2003 10:37 AM
Subject: Was ball point pens, now dispoisable lighters.


> The oldest lighter I have in my collection is a plastic dispoasable one I
> received (Ok, "lifted")  from my father back in the summer of 1969 while
on
> leave from the army.  He was a custom molder of plastics and it was a
> sample he received.  So they have been going into the archaeological
record
> for at least 34 years!
>
> Smoke.
>
>
> Smoke (Michael A.) Pfeiffer, RPA
> Ozark-St. Francis National Forests
> 605 West Main Street
> Russellville, Arkansas 72801
> (479) 968-2354  Ext. 233
> e-mail:  [log in to unmask]
>
> It is easier to get forgiveness than permission.
>
>
>
>
>                       George Myers
>                       <georgejmyersjr@H         To:      [log in to unmask]
>                       OTMAIL.COM>               cc:
>                       Sent by:                  Subject: Fw: Ball point
pens
>                       HISTORICAL
>                       ARCHAEOLOGY
>                       <[log in to unmask]
>                       >
>
>
>                       08/11/2003 01:51
>                       PM
>                       Please respond to
>                       HISTORICAL
>                       ARCHAEOLOGY
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "George Myers" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, August 11, 2003 2:50 PM
> Subject: Re: Ball point pens
>
>
> > There was a story in the Time-Life series books of science that the
> inventor
> > of the Xerox process first invented the ballpoint pen but failed to file
> a
> > patent for it. Mssr. "Bic" made quite a fortune with the pen and lighter
> > business (seen first in Belgium according to a social anthropologist ca.
> > 1973?) and challenged the Amerca Cup sailboat race in the late 1970's.
> > ("Quest").
> >
> > George Myers, Jr.
> >