Joseph Priestley's invention of the rubber eraser
- When
- 1770
- Where
- Unspecified
- Episodes
- 2
In 1770, Joseph Priestley described a substance for removing pencil marks in a footnote, while Edward Nairne reportedly marketed the first rubber eraser. The term 'rubber' became attached to the material between 1770 and 1778.
Episodes
- Nairne's Marketing
Edward Nairne reportedly developed and marketed the first widely used rubber eraser in 1770.
- Footnote Description
Priestley described a substance for removing pencil marks in a footnote dated April 15, 1770.
Background and detail
Priestley's Location. Joseph Priestley moved to Leeds in 1767, where he served as the minister of Mill Hill Chapel. He remained in Leeds until 1773, when he moved to Calne in Wiltshire to serve as librarian to the Earl of Shelburne.
The Eraser Description. On April 15, 1770, Priestley noted in a footnote that he had seen a substance excellently adapted for wiping black-lead-pencil marks from paper. This description predates the general attachment of the word 'rubber' to the material.
Nairne's Contribution. Edward Nairne, an English optician and scientific instrument maker, reportedly developed the first widely marketed rubber eraser in 1770 for an inventions competition. His shop was located opposite the Royal Exchange.
People involved
- Joseph Priestley · Scientist and author who described the eraser material
- Edward Nairne (new person candidate) · Optician and instrument maker who reportedly marketed the eraser
Sources
- Eraser Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-24
- Joseph Priestley Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-16
Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.