In 1891, Seth Wheeler of Albany patented the first modern perforated toilet paper roll, based on his 1871 patent for a perforated roll of wrapping paper. Toilet paper became the flagship product of Wheeler’s company, the Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company (later APW).
One of Seth Wheeler’s Perforated Toilet-Paper Roll Patents, 1891. United States Patent Office.
Rolls of Perforated Toilet Paper. Made by Albany Perforated Wrapping Company (APW), c. 1935. Courtesy of Stewart Wagner via the Albany Institute of History and Art exhibition: “New York's Capital Region in 50 Objects.”
Liberty Paper Mills, Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company, Erie Blvd, c. 1930s. From the Albany Group Archive via Flickr.
The former Liberty Paper Mills, Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Company today.
Albany Perforated Wrapping Paper Advertisement. Albany Institute of History and Art.
