Tacks

Here's something a little different for today's tidbit. TACKS, that's right those tiny little things that hold up papers on a board, fabric down on furniture and a pain when stepped on.

TIN TACKS
A few bright Nails of truth, Pins of thought, Pivots of illustration, and small Tin-Tacks for the Tiny Folks, are worth far more, practically, to busy workers than all the enlarged addresses in the world.
Source: Tin Tacks for Tiny Folks ©1898 The book is actually a sampler of various lessons one could use to help teach children.

In 1899 a patent was present for a machine for driving tacks in rapid fire action.

A patent for: This invention relates to improvements in hand-operated nailing-machines to drive tacks or nails in boots and shoes for lasting them.
Source Specifications and Drawings of Patents Issued from the US Patent Office ©1878

When lightening was reported in striking a house:
The several parcels of nails, tacks, hinges, &c. that lay in the course it took, were very plainly affected by it: some of the small tacks in particular were soldered together, 6, 7, 8, or 10 in a clump, as if scalding metal had run over them. The papers of the parcels were burnt in small holes.
Source: The Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London ©1809

BRASS TACKS
Often ornamental as shown in the examples below:
Indian Muzzle-loading Rifle, cal. 52, made by H. E. Leman, Lancaster, Pa., percussion-lock, octagon barrel, maple stock, patch box, brass trimmings, ornamented with brass tacks. It also has a bullet hole through the stock near the patch box. [I.]
Indian M. L. Rifle, cal. 52, made by H. E. Leman, Lancaster, Pa., percussion-lock, Octagon barrel, maple stock, brass trimmings, patch box; stock ornamented with brass tacks, and broken near the lock; repaired with rawhide.

Also listed in some supplies:
Cooper Tacks,
Zinc Tacks
Iron Tacks
Steel Tacks
Lead Tacks

This advertisement comes from Geyer's Stationer ©1877