JLC ??APRIL 1991
HOLLOW-WALL
A variety of new anchors offer strength,
speed, and versatility for attaching to drywall
by Lewis Lorini
One day in the mid-1940s, Fred
Crosseant heeded his wife's complaints
and finally fixed the shaky
toilet paper holder, and the rest, as
they say, is history.
To do the job, Crosseant, a toolmaker
by trade, invented the Molly
(named for Mrs. Crosseant) expansion
fastener, which, by all reports, was the
world's first hollow-wall fastener. The
product, originally marketed in 1947
on match books, was patented in 1951.
About 75 million pieces are still produced
annually.
Securely fastening shelves, towel
bars, or toilet paper holders to hollow
walls has come a long way since Mrs.
Crosseant inspired Fred to do a