Bostitch (since 1948)

Boston Wire Stitcher Co. 1896-1948
East Greenwich, RI

In 1896, Thomas Briggs of Arlington, Massachusetts invented a booklet stitching (stapling) machine that was easy to adjust for booklets of different thickness.   He started a company called the Boston Wire Stitcher Company to produce this machine.   The product was successful, the company grew, and in 1904 they moved to East Greenwich, Rhode Island.

Through the years, Bostitch has made dozens of desktop staplers, and even more types of commercial machines.   However only a few devices such as the 1914 Portable Stapler (Model AO), the No. 1, and the No. 2B - are of interest to collectors.

The Model AO
At first, the Boston Wire Stitcher Company produced only commercial stitching machines.   However, they saw an opportunity in the business office market for a desktop paper fastener.   In the early 1900's, they introduced their first "portable" stapler, the Model AO.   They received a patent for this device in 1914.

The Model AO is a very unusual looking device that featured a heavy cast iron base and a relied on a long coil spring wrapped around a pulley to put forward pressure on the staples.

Bostitch's first desktop stapler - the Model AO c.1914

Model AO staplers are rare and complete examples usually sell for between $100 and $200 depending on condition.   Examples in poor condition or those with missing springs or other parts are worth less than $50.

The Model AO used loose wire staples.   Although this particular device was easier to load than many of its contemporaries (such as the Acme), it was not ideal.  

In the early 1920's, the Boston Wire Stitcher Company develop the first "modern" style cohered (a.k.a. frozen wire) staples.   Although these staples were not patented, my research indicates that The Boston Wire Stitcher Company developed cohered wire staples in the early 1920's.   It is also probable that others independently developed cohered staples around the same time. Click here for a history of the staple.

The No. 1
Regardless of who was the first to produce the frozen wire staple, Bostitch did introduce the first stapler specifically designed to use them:   In 1922, Bostitch introduced a stapler that would later be called the Bostitch No. 1.   A patent was granted in 1924.

The early No. 1 staplers were not marked No.1.   They simply had the Bostitch name and from one to three patent numbers - 1506073, 1584788, & 1591986.   Some were also marked "CHAS N. SMART 201 FRANKLIN ST. BOSTON, SOLE SELLING AGENT".

The button on the top of the early models is marked "PRESS DO NOT STRIKE", ostensibly in response to operators' being accustomed to having to smack other contemporary staplers.   The next version's button is marked "BOSTITCH", later versions are marked "BOSTITCH NO. 1".

The No. 1 was a revolutionary device.   Other desktop paper fasteners at that time were relatively expensive ornate devices, usually made from cast iron.   The Bostitch No. 1 was made almost entirely from inexpensive stamped steel components.   It was inexpensive, reliable, and had a 100 staple capacity.   The Bostitch No. 1 was the first stapler to use an extensible coiled flat spring to put forward pressure on the staples - a method that is still in use today on the Ace Pilot staplers.

Bostitch Model 1 Stapler - Early Model

Today, Bostitch No. 1 staplers are neither rare nor common;   they usually sell for between $10 (for examples with missing/broken parts and worn plating or rust) and $50 (for near-mint examples).   The early versions (with the PRESS DO NOT STRIKE button and the CHAS N SMART markings) are worth a bit more.

The No. B2
The No. B2 looks similar to the No. 1 except that its base and top button are made from black bakelite (an early type of plastic).   It also differs from the No.1 in that it has an circular anvil that can be rotated to pin as well as staple.   The geometry of the pin is unique - instead of spreading the staple so that it is straight (like almost every other stapler with pinning ability), the No. B2 sets the "legs" at 90° to the staple.

The Model B2 was available in shiny nickel plate or a less common matte gold-plated color.

The Model B2 was made for a very short time - perhaps only a year or two.   One possible reason for this is that bakelite was a horrible choice of materials for a stapler base, particularly at a time when many people were used to pounding on the stapler button rather than just pushing it down.   As a result, an intact B2 is a rare stapler, usually selling for around $100. Examples in near mint condition or with the original box are worth much more.   Cracked, broken, or repaired staplers are worth less.

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