Pair of Roller Skates thumbnail 1
On display

Pair of Roller Skates

1930-1939 (manufactured)
Artist/Maker
Union Hardware Company (manufacturers)
Place of origin
Torrington (Connecticut) (manufactured)

Pair of roller skates with metal bodies and flat foot supports, with small heel supports and adjustable grip for width; a fixing on the underside is operated by a screw action. The trunk of the base is adjustable with a nut and bolt fixing on the underside. There are four partly-hollow wheels on each skate. There is no distinction as to which is for the left or right foot. Both can be fastened to the wearer with brown leather straps. Also included is a metal key for adjusting the length of the skates and toe grips.

Object details

Categories
Play
Transport
Outdoor Games & Toys
Object type
Pair of roller skates
Parts
This object consists of 3 parts.

  • Roller-Skates
  • Roller-Skates
  • Keys (Adjusting Equipment)
Materials and techniques
Metal, leather
Metal
Leather
Brief description
Pair of roller skates, with metal body and red/brown leather strap, Union Hardware Company, USA, 1930-1939
Physical description
Pair of roller skates with metal bodies and flat foot supports, with small heel supports and adjustable grip for width; a fixing on the underside is operated by a screw action. The trunk of the base is adjustable with a nut and bolt fixing on the underside. There are four partly-hollow wheels on each skate. There is no distinction as to which is for the left or right foot. Both can be fastened to the wearer with brown leather straps. Also included is a metal key for adjusting the length of the skates and toe grips.
Dimensions
  • Height: 100mm (Note: Height will increase if leather strap is re-shaped. Dimensions of each skate.)
  • Width: 90mm (Note: Dimensions of each skate)
  • Depth: 225mm (Note: Dimensions of each skate)
  • Both skates weight: 1.75kg (nifill)
Production typeMass produced
Marks and inscriptions
'No. / 8 / MFD. BY / UNION / TORRINGTON / CONN. USA'
Gallery label
(01/07/2023)
Roller skating

The first roller skates were patented in 1760 in Belgium, but the idea caught on in the 1840s after they were used on stage in Paris.

Trends for inline or quad-wheel style skates have fallen in and out of fashion since then. But certain moments from disco in the 1970s to the Covid-19 lockdowns in the 2020s saw their popularity soar again.

1 No. 8 roller skates
Manufacturer: Union Hardware Co.
Date: 1930–39
Location: Torrington, Connecticut, USA
Materials: Metal, rubber, leather
Given by Mrs B.D. Adams
Museum no. MISC.559-1991

2 No. 5 roller skates
Manufacturer: Union Hardware Co.
Date: 1943
Location: Torrington, Connecticut, USA
Materials: Metal, rubber, leather
Given by Sir Nicholas Goodison
Museum no. MISC.298-1991

[Young V&A, Design Gallery, Design changes how we travel, group object label]
Credit line
Given by Mrs B. D. Adams
Object history
Given by Mrs. B.D. Adams along with several other items (see Misc.546 to 576-1991; RF 88/544). The skates belonged to the donor's husband, John Graham Adams (1932-1988) and his brother, Kenneth George Adams (1932-1988).
Other number
2022347-1330-579 - patent number
Collection
Young V&A Collection
Accession number
MISC.559:1 to 3-1991

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Record createdJuly 1, 2009
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1120569/pair-of-roller-union-hardware-company/
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