Dan,
 
 During the archaeological investigation of Freedman's Cemetery in Dallas, Texas, in the early 1990s, one of the most useful temporal diagnostics proved to be the common, everyday safety pin (Davidson 1999; Owens 2000).  Previously considered insignificant and mundane in historical archaeology, the safety pin actually is an excellent temporal indicator, inasmuch as its origin is a known one (it was first patented in the United States in 1849), and its form was not static.  Rather, seventeen varieties were recognized and defined in a typology by my colleague, Ms. Victoria Owens, and myself, and these varieties were patented between 1849 and 1900.  
 
In the safety pin typology formulated for the Freedman's Cemetery investigation (Davidson 1999:171-175; Owens 2000:424-427), two different notation systems were employed, one for the head and one for the base.  Classic shield head types were assigned a number 1, with different sub-varieties of shield forms given additional letter suffixes (e.g., 1A, 1B, etc.).  In addition to the rounded shield head form, there were 4 other head types defined in the Freedman's typology; 2, 3, 4, and 5 (Types 2 and 4 were wire headed varieties).  There are also 5 distinctive types of bases.  The bases were each assigned Roman numeral designations, from I through VI, with numeral V no longer considered a real type.     
 
As for your specific question, the earliest example of a shield head safety pin patented in the United States is Isaac W. Stewart's "Improved Diaper Pin" of August 16, 1870 (U.S. Utility Patent No. 106,422).  This is designated in the Freedman's Cemetery typology as Type 5.  The original 1870 patent illustration for the Stewart pin illustrates a ribbed or corrugated head form, and these corrugations are mentioned specifically by name in the October 11, 1875 reissue patent for the Stewart Pin (U.S. Reissue patent No. 6,698).  Given this, a large blanket-pin-sized safety pin in the author's collection is stamped with the patent date of August 16, 1870 (identifying it as an 1870 Stewart pin), but this example (although the head is formed in the manner outlined by Stewart in his initial patent description), is not square and ribbed/corrugated.  Rather, it is instead rounded and smooth faced (save for the stamped patent date).  
 
I emphasize this to make the point that to the casual eye, the Stewart 1870 safety pin (Freedman's Type 5) is virtually indistinguishable from the Type 1AI pin (the 1878 Butler and 1883 Jenkins pins discussed below), since both have an enclosed shield head that can and often did include corrugations.  What distinguishes the two types are the means by which the shield is clamped to the wire to form the head.         
 
            Freedman's Type 1A safety pin was patented by William A. Butler on January 1, 1878 (U.S. Utility Patent No. 198, 912).  An archival example of the Type 1AI safety pin (in the author's possession) is still attached to a fragmentary paper card printed with two different patent dates: January 1, 1878 (corresponding to the Butler Patent mentioned above), and May 1, 1883 patent date (which corresponds to a safety pin form patented by Joel Jenkins; U.S. Patent No. 276, 971).  
 
The 1878 Butler patent illustration shows a smooth shield head form, while the 1883 Jenkins patent, as well as archaeological and archival examples of the Type 1AI pin show a pressed and ribbed head form.  This ribbing, although distinctive in appearance, is apparently not the critical defining characteristic (as was also true of the Type 5 Stewart pin), but instead it is the form of the sheet metal head, and the method used to crimp it to the wire.            
            
Note that although the 1849 Walter Hunt patent (U.S. Utility Patent No. 6,281) is for a wire headed safety pin, the Hunt pin was never mass produced or widely distributed.  Rather, the wire headed pin that was ubiquitous in the late 19th century onwards (it is produced today) was patented on January 1, 1878, by John Lindsay, and is generally known as the Lindsay Pin (U. S. Utility Patent No. 198, 890).  In the Freedman's typology, the Lindsey Pin is Freedman's Type II.  It was the most ubiquitous safety pin type recovered archaeologically at Freedman's, associated with 163 burials.
 
            In a discussion of the safety pin as temporal diagnostic, a particular patent date is not the only factor to consider.  Rather, while the safety pin's patent date informs us of the theoretical availability of a specific form, it does not tell us whether or not the object patented was ever manufactured, and if produced, if there was a lag time between the patent's filing date and this date of manufacture.  
 
From a study of some 98 wholesale and retail clothing, dry goods and mercantile catalogues dating between 1866 and 1907, it is clear that although the first safety pin was invented in 1849 by Walter Hunt (U.S. Utility Patent No. 6,281), safety pins were not sold in large numbers until the year 1877, which marks their first appearance in an American trade catalogue (from a firm headquartered in New York City; Edward Ridley and Sons 1877).  This was because it was not until 1877 that a machine was invented that could mass produce safety pins (Anonymous n.d.:21).  On October 9, 1877, William A. Butler and William Wellge, both of New York City, were issued a utility patent for the first machine ever created that was capable of manufacturing safety pins (U. S. Utility Patent No. 195,978).  
 
            Prior to this, all pins were laboriously hand made.  Because of the lag time between introduction of form, manufacture, distribution, use, and finally interment, all the safety pins with 1870 and 1878 patent dates are, for all practical purposes, believed to actually date to circa 1880 or later.  This dating is consistent with the Freedman's analysis of some 924 safety pins recovered from 454 individuals (Davidson 1999; Owens 2000:424).   
 
A summary article on the history of safety pins, and their great utility in dating late 19th century burials, is currently being prepared for publication by myself and Ms. Owens.
 
Dr. James M. Davidson
Department of Anthropology  
1112 Turlington Hall
P.O. Box 117305
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611-7305 
 
Phone: 362-392-2253 ext. 256            Fax: 352-392-6929
Email: [log in to unmask]
 
 
References Cited: 
Anonymous 
n.d. (circa 1945)           Metal Fabrication by Risdon: A  Manufacturer's Story of Metal Components, Formed Wire Products and Safety Pins. Risdon Manufacturing Company, Naugatuck, CT.
 
Davidson, James M.
1999    Freedman's Cemetery (1869-1907): A Chronological Reconstruction of an Excavated African-American Burial Ground, Dallas, Texas.  Unpublished M.A. Thesis, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.
 
Owens, Victoria
2000    Personal, Clothing, and Miscellaneous Items Associated With Excavated Burials. In Freedman's Cemetery: A Legacy of A Pioneer Black Community in Dallas, Texas, edited by Duane E. Peter, Marsha Prior, Melissa M. Green, and Victoria G. Clow, pp. 409-447.  Geo Marine, Inc., Special Publication No. 6. Texas Department of Transportation, Environmental Affairs Division, Archeology Studies Program, Report No. 21. Austin.   
 
 
Edward Ridley and Sons
1877    Fashion Catalogue and Price List, Fall and Winter '77-'78. New York. (Author's Personal Collection).
 
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-----Original Message-----
From: Dan Allen <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Sun, 05 Feb 2006 15:19:21 -0600
Subject: Re: Safety pin dating


Hello to the list:) 
 
Anyone know when safety pins in their simple wire form patented in 1849 (Hunt) were changed by the addition of the sheet metal guards around the heads? I'm archaeologically relocating a slave/Reconstruction cemetery in central Tenn. and most of the burials contain safety pins down what would be the back of the interments. Skeletal preservation has been slim:( 
 
Dan Allen 
Cumberland Research Group, Inc. 
and GRA; the Center for Historic Preservation @ MTSU