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.

On July 4, 1776, representatives from the original 13 American colonies came together to formally adopt a document that listed all their grievances against the British government and announce their independence from the crown. This document became known as the Declaration of Independence. The home of the original Declaration of Independence, the National Archives celebrates Independence Day every year on July 4th with a public reading of the Declaration, at which you can boo the list of grievances against King George III and cheer "Huzzah!" as we declare our independence! The National Archives Store is pleased to offer you a wide selection of patriotic reproductions, gifts, accessories, collectibles, and apparel. Purchases from the National Archives Store 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.

Based on holdings in the National Archives, the designs on our pill box lids are exclusive to the National Archives Store. As fun gifts, the bright and shiny boxes are a great way to keep small things safely contained.