Set of 3 Vintage skates - Need help with details

contango

Hi everybody,

Back in the 1970’s & 80’s my family used to work / play at a roller rink called Wheels in Boulder CO.

Before that my parents met at an older rink in town (don’t know the name) in the 1950’s.

At Wheels we were paid in free skating and free skates.

Nice trade for family fun!

I have 3 pairs of skates and need help understanding exactly what I have.

First: Men’s size 10, Riedell boot. , extra wheel set.

Second: Women’s size 5, Riedell boot

Third: Women’s size 5 1/2, Riedell boot

see pictures.

I think all are Douglas Snyder plates, but don’t know how to value these or how to describe what type of skates these are. Any feedback appreciated.

See pics.

Thanks!

Quickstep

Those are all artistic freestyle skating setups. Plates are pretty heavy and obsolete, but Sure Grip took over Snyder and some parts should still be available. In our artistic club, Snyder plates (both super deluxe and imperial) go for about $50 usually to beginner skaters. The boots are probably worth about the $50-125 range depending on how nice of condition they're in, but not really suitable for high level artistic skating anymore. These kind of skates we give to our beginner skaters just learning their single jumps and basic dances. The wheels are all completely obsolete for art skating, but sometimes people skating rhythm like to use fomacs and the all americans there because they are so hard that's all they're good for. Maybe $25 to 100 a set depending on the rhythm skater you find that is looking for that style wheel. But it looks like you don't have the desirable all american dream wheels, just the plus. Out of all the wheels, the all american plus would be the most desired by rhythm skaters because it's vanathane like the old rental wheels that aren't made anymore.

It's also likely that the toe stops, pivot cups, and cushions would all need to be changed.

Quickstep

I actually bought a set of the kwitite fomac wheels with bearings off of Facebook marketplace recently for $40, because I have never tried out fomacs. Unfortunately USPS lost the package.

Sully

I’d hang onto them. Those were expensive skates back in the late 70s early 80s

Deej1387

Those Imperial plates are all in stellar condition! And the boots look like 297s, which even used are still great rhythm boots.

Those are all still more high end vintage skates, even today, and Sure Grip still makes parts for the Snyder plates. It varied by region, but a lot of rhythm skaters still use those setups in rinks. They're not so much artistic anymore as you'll find pockets of rhythm skaters who will swear by their 297s and Snyder plates until they die. Those are gorgeous!