How Was "Liquid Paper" Named?

Liquid Paper, a brand name of opaque correction fluid, is used to cover up mistakes on paper without retyping the entire sheet. It was very important when material was typed with a typewriter, but less so since the advent of the word processor.

It was invented by Bette Nesmith Graham in 1951 and originally called Mistake Out. Graham was a typist who developed a type of white tempera paint to cover up her mistakes. Her first batch was mixed together in a common kitchen blender.

She offered the product to IBM, which declined. She sold the product, renamed Liquid Paper, from her house for 17 years. By 1968 the product was profitable, and in 1979 it was sold to the Gillette Corporation for $47.5 million and royalties. She died the following year, with half her estate going to charity, and half to her only child, the actor, producer, businessman, and former member of The Monkees, Michael Nesmith. In 2000 Liquid Paper and related brands were acquired by Newell Rubbermaid. (Wikipedia)

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posted by Staff @ 8:32 AM