The Reynolds Rocket

On this date in 1945, American commercial traveler and enterprising businessman, Milton Reynolds, the initial batch of the successful ballpoint pens. He realized reliable ballpoint pens would succeed if he mastered their mass production. Hungarian, László Bíró, made a ballpoint pen in the many years earlier that would not dirty hands and clothes of writers, and not leave blots or smudge. Reynolds was quick to patent Bíró’s invention in the USA before the inventor and his partner, Eversharp, did. Sold under the brand Reynolds Rocket in Gimbels department store in New York City at the cost of $12.50, fifty police officers had to maintain order. With eight million made by Reynolds international pen company, over ten thousand sold out in days.

Note: An outraged Bíró sued Reynolds but did not defend the October 30, 1888 patent rights by John J. Loud, inventor of the first "ball tip" pen. In court, Reynolds referred to the earlier patent and his modification of the 1888 pen. He said his pen was a reduced copy and Bíró’s construction has nothing to do with it.