“Be it known that I, John Peter Willms, of the city of Baltimore, and the state of Maryland, have invented a new and improved Pessary …”  Letters Patent No. 60,312 - dated December 4, 1866.  Later in 1871, John and Charles formed Willms Surgical Instrument Co. at 13 N. Howard Street in Baltimore. A unique and splendidpatent model with its original tag and facsimile of the patent office description - VFC.