Design patents refer to any new ornamental design for manufactured items. The patent number found on a piece of jewelry is usually the design patent. This type of patent only protects appearance; it does not cover or protect structure or the utilitarian functions of the item. To help date items with patent numbers that reference original inventions or mechanical operation, please see the Patent Date Table 1836 –1990 article.

Some patent numbers that were issued for design will show the number prefaced with "D" or "Des," clearly indicating that it a design patent number. But usually there is no designation noted and it may take a little detective work to determine to which type of patent the number refers too. However, employing simple logic when observing the piece can help you to make this determination.

In the chart that follows, the number following the year is that of the first design patent issued that year. Any that precede the number shown for a particular year will correspond to the previous year in regards to date of issue. This chart will only provide you with the earliest date a patented design could have been made. Design patents are granted for a period of 14 years from the date of issuance.

1843: 1
1844: 15
1845: 27
1846: 44
1847: 103
1848: 163
1849: 209
1850: 258
1851: 341
1852: 431
1853: 540
1854: 626
1855: 683
1856: 753
1857: 860
1858: 973
1859: 1,075
1860: 1,183
1861: 1,366
1862: 1,508
1863: 1,703
1864: 1,879
1865: 2,018 1866: 2.239
1867: 2,533
1868: 2,858
1869: 3,304
1870: 3,810
1871: 4,547
1872: 5,452
1873: 6,336
1874: 7,083
1875: 7,969
1876: 8,884
1877: 9,686
1878: 10,385
1879: 10,975
1880: 11,567
1881: 12,082
1882: 12,647
1883: 13,508
1884: 14,528
1885: 15,678
1886: 16,451
1887: 17,046
1888: 17,995 1889: 18,830
1890: 19,553
1891: 20,439
1892: 21,275
1893: 22,092
1894: 22,994
1895: 23,922
1896: 25,037
1897: 26,482
1898: 28,113
1899: 29,916
1900: 32,055
1901: 33,813
1902: 35,547
1903: 36,187
1904: 36,723
1905: 37,280
1906: 37,766
1907: 38,391
1908: 38,980
1909: 39,737
1910: 40,424
1911: 41,063
1912: 42,073
1913: 43,415
1914: 46,098
1915: 46,813
1916: 48,358
1917: 50,117
1918: 51,629
1919: 52,836
1920: 54,359
1921: 56,844
1922: 60,121
1923: 61,748
1924: 63,675
1925: 66,346
1926: 69,170
1927: 71,722
1928: 74,159
1929: 77,347
1930: 80,254
1931: 82,966
1932: 85,903
1933: 88,847
1934: 91,258
1935: 94,179
1936: 98,045
1937: 102,601
1938: 107,738
1939: 112,765
1940: 118,358
1941: 124,503
1942: 130,989
1943: 134,717
1944: 136,946
1945: 139,862
1946: 142,386
1947: 145,165
1948: 147,368
1949: 151,235
1950: 155,686
1951: 160,404
1952: 164,568
1953: 168,527
1954: 171,241
1955: 173,777
1956: 176,490
1957: 179,467

1958: 181,829
1959: 184,204
1960: 186,973
1961: 189,516
1962: 192,004
1963: 194,304
1964: 197,269
1965: 199,995
1966: 203,379
1967: 206,567
1968: 209,732
1969: 213,084
1970: 216,419
1971: 219,637
1972: 222,793
1973: 225,695
1974: 229,729
1975: 234,032