Collection: Patent Prints

Thomas Edison's lightbulb and phonograph, Harley Davidson engines, the Wright Brothers' airplane, the baseball and basketball--these are just the tip of the iceberg of the nearly three million patent case files from 1836-1956 the National Archives preserves and protects.

The patent act of 1790 established the rules for submitting a patent application. Each application had to be submitted with specifications, a patent drawing, and, if possible, a model of the invention. Eventually, models were no longer required.

The National Archives Store in its mission to generate financial and creative support for National Archives exhibitions, public programs, and educational initiatives, introducing America’s records to people around the U.S. and the world, is delighted to offer you a line of quality patent prints on canvas. We invite you to also check out our range of canvas prints depicting vintage posters from the National Archives holdings.