In the 1920’s they made these three wheeled stamped metal devices with pedal car like wheels… usually sold in pairs with a pair of poles to mimic cross country skiing. They featured a heel cup and adjustable metal toe clip looking thing. We just have one half a pair, which leads one to speculate that the 1920’s kids must have jumped on just one of these units and charged down a hill. With no steering mechanism, and just a 3” x 10” riding surface, risk would have been a factor with this pioneer rig. At this stage skating would have been as pure as it gets… no thoughts of maneuvers, only survival.

The rare 1930’s scooter skate was a skateboard/scooter hybrid which was designed with a quick change single bolt adjustment allowing the user to roll it as a scooter with the handle or as a skate without it. This was a three-wheel design with steel rollerskate style wheels and no turning or steering mechanism. The bulbous rocket ship style 6 ½” x 13” deck was stamped out of metal and finished in a vibrant red. This particular design showed patent pending mark, although it’s unclear whether the final patent was granted. Skating then involved pushing down a hill and hoping you made it to the bottom… this must have been a noisy, adrenaline stirring, rough ride.

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In the 1940’s, due to the war effort, steel and other metals were a rare commodity. Aluminum however was considered cheap left over stuff and was readily available for the manufacturing of toys like this Skeeter (circa 1945 patent applied for). The Skeeter was a scooter with a removable handle/skateboard unit. The 4 3/8” x 15 3/4" body was crafted from aluminum as were the pedal car style wheels and the trucks. This vehicle featured a particularly notable innovation, which was the introduction of steering axles or “trucks” (the design of these trucks and the name “trucks” was taken from the original type found on railway cars). Although not known at the time, this development, which enabled the skater to now carve turns, would change skateboarding forever.

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The chopped up rollers skate nailed to a chunk of scrap wood. This is the beginning of skateboarding that the majority of people relate to. There are endless stories, from a wide variety of people and locations, all with a similar storyline: 1) stole sister’s roller skates 2) hacked up and attached skates to a board in hasty and sketchy manner 3) bombed huge hill in a hasty and sketchy manner and paid by taking horrendous crash 4) got in trouble for stealing and destroying skates and acting like a daredevil. There are variations, but mostly the story is about dangerous skateboards and dangerous skateboarding… in the late 50’s, early 60’s this was the equipment and these were the first wave of true enthusiasts who developed the basic skills of skateboarding. The specimen shown measures 3 ½” x18” and has trucks attached to board using bent nails… hardcore.

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This is the missing link between the original home built skateboard made from chopped roller skates and the first complete manufactured skateboards of the mid Sixties. The Scoot Kit consists of two roller skate style trucks mounted with loose bearings and steel wheels. Also included is one set of mounting hardware (wood screws) along with instructions on how to build your own skateboard, scooter, or skoot-kart. This piece represents an early product designed specifically for the growing trend known as skateboarding and shows the truly basic roots of skating culture.

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Roller Derby made large amounts of skateboards in various sizes and designs in the Sixties. This Roller Derby #10 skateboard is an example of one of their more popular early models. The deck measures 4 ½” x 19” and is fitted with the old school roller skate style trucks and early edition split style steel wheels. This clean example shows little wear. To see one just like it in action, click the additional image link …pointy ass skate shoes!

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As has been the case time and again, street youth have created and invented styles to be later manufactured and sold back to them. The official Skee Skate Air Master is an example of an early production skateboard. The Skee Skate measures 4 3/8” x 15 3/4" and is fitted with roller skate style trucks and steel wheels. There was not a lot of imagination put into the template shape of this board, but it did feature a special added security feature - a box labeled "owner" where you could write your name so that no one would steal your board.

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The Skee Skate model board was one of the earliest production model skateboards and may have been produced under license by a few different companies. The same basic shape and graphic were shown with Air Master, Tresco and Bud Lee Inc. markings. This one is a Bud Lee version and it measures 4 ½” x 18 ½” and is a red painted laminated deck with pillow block trucks and steel wheels.

The pill shaped Mustang 65 model measures 4 ½” x 18 ¾” and is mounted using rivets with pillow block trucks and steel wheels. The deck graphic also features the words "Sidewalk Surfer", a popular early term applied to the act of skateboarding. Also shown is the solid clear wood grain version with more tapered shape & hubcaps.

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This pill shaped steel wheeled skateboard measures 4 ¾” x 19” and was made by Fox MFG of Chatham Ontario Canada. Fox also produced this same model branded with the Bauer trade name.

The pill shaped Surfer board measures 4 ½” x 19”and is a of a plywood type construction with pillow block trucks and steel wheels. Also shown is the larger 6” x 24” model featuring blunt tapered shape. The stylish Surfer script lettering was likely designed by an old time sign painter.

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Super Surfer was one of the more prominent brands in the early days of skateboard manufacturing. The board shown here is a clean example with steel wheels, measuring in at 4 ¼” x 19”.

This is an early 4 ¾” x 19” steel wheeled Bauer skateboard manufactured in Eastern Canada. This is the same Bauer company famous for it’s ice skates and hockey equipment.

Printed with some of the coolest graphics ever, this 5 ½” x 27 ½” Surf Roller by the Arandell company was probably produced in the late fifties, as evidenced by the steel wheels and truck / base plate set up which are actually cut down roller skates …. Early skateboard manufacturing history!

The Hot Dogger ski-board is a tiny early production skateboard with steel wheels and pillow block trucks that measures 4” x 18 ¾”. This board features a screen printed, full deck top graphic.