Trademark: Samson Rope Logo

First Used: January 1884

First Registered: May 1884

Current Owner: SAMSON ROPE TECHNOLOGIES, INC. [1]

Trademark Type: traditional trademark; design mark

Primarily Associated With: cords, lines, and ropes [2]

Brief (and likely incomplete) History: [3]

The Samson Rope Logo is a significant piece of trademark history – it is not only the oldest still-active design mark registration in the United States, but also the oldest still-active trademark registration of any kind in the United States.

Samson Rope Technologies was originally founded by James P. (JP) Tolman, also a member of MIT’s first graduating class, as the JP Tolman company in 1878. In the ensuing years, Tolman patented a new rope-braiding machine and released the first braided rope with a reinforced core. Tolman needed a name and logo that symbolized the strength and durability of the new ropes: enter the biblical strongman Samson.

Aiming to associate their products with the legendary strength of Samson, the company adopted the name Samson Cordage and the Samson Logo, featuring an image of Samson pulling apart the jaws of the lion. At a time when branding was becoming increasingly important, the Samson Rope Logo conveyed a clear message of reliability and toughness, aligning perfectly with the company’s commitment to produce high-quality, durable ropes. Over the years, the Samson Rope Logo has become an enduring symbol of strength in the industry, representing over a century of innovation and quality.