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2 Attachment(s)
Vintage Iron Thread
Hi All,
I read a post a few weeks ago in which SnowOne and DonForeman suggested a vintage iron thread to discuss/identify old plates. I wasn't part of that discussion, but I see that no one has created the thread, and I have a couple of plates that I could use some help identifying, so I figured that I would kick it off! I don't have any rules in mind, no crew numbers to hand out, or anything like that. I just thought this could be a resource for people to share their knowledge about some of the really cool old stuff that's out there. It doesn't even have to be plates, just any older equipment that you want to identify or to show off!
I have a couple of 10 lb plates that I think may have been made by Hofmann Industries, but I wanted to be sure of this. They say "Made in America" and "SS3" on the front, and they have a number 1 imprinted lightly on the back. Anyone know for sure that these are Hofmann's, and what the markings mean?
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2 Attachment(s)
So my original picture of the plate didn't upload....here it is. I have also included pictures of my Hofmann 45's. I believe that these were made in Reading, PA sometime in the 80's. Hofmann stopped manufacturing in Reading in 1987 or 88, I believe.
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I have a story and pics to add. The plates are no longer in my possession but I was given permission to post pics to share.
Over a month ago I took a 2hr drive to go buy a bunch of plates and equipment for cheap. While on the phone the gentleman told me he had some rusty plates in the woods that he said I could have. It left me wondering.
I got there and about a hour later had the truck fully loaded. Now I asked him about these rusty plates. He said they were out in the woods by his shed. They had been out there for 15+ years. This guy was in his mid '60's and told me his father originally bought the weights new. He talked about growing up as a kid and watching his dad lift these weights. The memories meant a lot to him yet for. some reason he kept these plates outside. After some searching we came across the 45lb set.
Although rusty they were what I was hoping for. Once I brushed the leaves off I could see the York across the top. It took all I had to hold back a big smile. They were in fact deep dish 45's. After searching another 40 min we couldn't finger the 35's.
After a long trip home I snapped some photos and sent out some emails. I was sure I had a pair of 45's from the 50-60's. After some inspection a very nice member here(though rough around the edges ;). ) greatly helped me out and it was determined my plates were pre WWII from the '30's. It also turned out that another pair of 35's might be from the same time line.
For your pleasure:
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h320/northernm/IMG_20120603_114744-1.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h320/northernm/IMG_20120603_194523.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h320/northernm/IMG_20120603_132545.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h320/northernm/IMG_20120603_194606.jpg[/IMG]
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WOW! That is a great story, and awesome pics to boot! It's really cool when you can stumble across a piece of history like that....I've never even seen pictures of York plates that old before.....
Reps on recharge!
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[QUOTE=Northernmoris;932947873]
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h320/northernm/IMG_20120603_194523.jpg[/IMG]
[IMG]http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h320/northernm/IMG_20120603_132545.jpg[/IMG]
[/QUOTE]
Those are BAD. ASS. I would be tempted to bake some Chicago-style pizza in them. Looking forward to seeing pics of them clean and new-looking.
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Yes, those are US-made Hofmann Industries plates. The Hofmann of H.I. is not the same as Bob Hoffman of York Barbell.
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[QUOTE=Northernmoris;932947873]I have a story and pics to add. The plates are no longer in my possession but I was given permission to post pics to share.[/QUOTE]
Is this real life? How are they not in your possession Northern?! My only guess is you got a juicy deal from York barbell to put those up in the York museum. Or something.
Beautiful plates and cool story man, must be nice to have a piece of history in your hands.
Edit: or maybe Atty snatched them from ya. sounds like it.
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[QUOTE=AttyGuy;933067583]Yes, those are US-made Hofmann Industries plates. The Hofmann of H.I. is not the same as Bob Hoffman of York Barbell.[/QUOTE]
THanks for the confirmation! Will rep on recharge.
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[QUOTE=MC707;933117643]Edit: or maybe Atty snatched them from ya. sounds like it.[/QUOTE]
Not me. I'm only into more recent vintage York stuff that I can use. The plates Northernmoris had are very special. They date back to the 1930's or 40's.
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[QUOTE=AttyGuy;933289743]Not me. I'm only into more recent vintage York stuff that I can use. The plates Northernmoris had are very special. They date back to the 1930's or 40's.[/QUOTE]
Why can't or wouldn't you use those plates?
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[QUOTE=Northernmoris;932947873]Although rusty they were what I was hoping for. Once I brushed the leaves off I could see the York across the top. It took all I had to hold back a big smile. They were in fact deep dish 45's.[/quote]Wow, it just goes to show ya that the old vintage iron is out there lurking to be re-discovered, waiting for someone with the desire to lift them just once more. Great story and fantastic pics... thanks for sharing! :)
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[QUOTE=Northernmoris;932947873]I have a story and pics to add. The plates are no longer in my possession but I was given permission to post pics to share.
[/QUOTE]
So you sold them? If you did, why do you need permission to post some pictures?
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I've been waiting for this thread since it was first mentioned. Those unpainted yorks are beautiful.
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[QUOTE=smittysgym2009;933302513]So you sold them? If you did, why do you need permission to post some pictures?[/QUOTE]
More so out of respect for the buyer, he frequents forums, not necessarily here though..
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[QUOTE=rthawker;933292263]Why can't or wouldn't you use those plates?[/QUOTE]
You could use them, for sure. My main issue is more that I want consistency of plates in my home gym. Everything is the same. If I could find 1500-2000 pounds of 1930's era vintage York plates, I might be tempted. Secondarily, is consistency in terms of weight in the individual plates. The York plates from the 1970's to 1990's were milled. Yes, not all Yorks of that era were milled, and relatively fewer 10s, 5s, and 2.5s were milled. But they were and I've been able to acquire 2500 pounds of them in pound and kilogram denominations. The early plates were not milled.
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Here are some 25s from the 50s on EBay (not my listing, honest!)
[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/RARE-1950s-York-Barbell-25lbs-Deep-Dish-Plates-/170896479622?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item27ca395586[/url]
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Just out of curiosity.... What would those 1930's YORK's sell for a pound......???
It would take a pretty penny for me to release them if I dug them out of some leaves and dirt.....but just about everything has a price...
What a find.....very cool.....
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[QUOTE=TXBRASS;933420543]Just out of curiosity.... What would those 1930's YORK's sell for a pound......???
[/QUOTE]
That's a hard question to answer. Any answer given will be criticized as too little or too much. . . . And the guys who say a given price is too cheap are usually the same guys who try and low-ball a buyer out of vintage iron.
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[QUOTE=AttyGuy;933467273]That's a hard question to answer. Any answer given will be criticized as too little or too much. . . . And the guys who say a given price is too cheap are usually the same guys who try and low-ball a buyer out of vintage iron.[/QUOTE]
Yep....was thinking along those lines.....
Kinda one of those:
X: How much you want for the old plates?
Y: How much you wanna give me for 'em???
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[QUOTE=TXBRASS;933420543]Just out of curiosity.... What would those 1930's YORK's sell for a pound......???
It would take a pretty penny for me to release them if I dug them out of some leaves and dirt.....but just about everything has a price...
What a find.....very cool.....[/QUOTE]
Yes, everything does have its price. Logically, collectors will obfuscate when asked about values in hopes of keeping their buying prices low. EBay is great for determining relative market value.
I would guess that, since they seem to be next to impossible to find, you could probably get at least $40 or $50 a lb for two 45s. And probably much more for a complete set.
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I think this would look pretty cool in front of my garage.
[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/290760675090?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_949[/url]
The bidding started at $1, but I think moving it would be the biggest issue.
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[QUOTE=ndmike99;933810703]I think this would look pretty cool in front of my garage.
[url]http://www.ebay.com/itm/290760675090?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_500wt_949[/url]
The bidding started at $1, but I think moving it would be the biggest issue.[/QUOTE]
C'mon Mike, you know you want it, lol. Just get the idiots on shipping wars to bid on it :
[url]http://www.aetv.com/shipping-wars/[/url]
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[QUOTE=twodog;933829433]C'mon Mike, you know you want it, lol. Just get the idiots on shipping wars to bid on it :
[url]http://www.aetv.com/shipping-wars/[/url][/QUOTE]
I thought of that show when I saw this ad. I also thought of the episode on the Big Bang Theory when they buy the Time Machine on ebay without realizing that it was the full sized version.
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[QUOTE=ndmike99;933830273]I thought of that show when I saw this ad. I also thought of the episode on the Big Bang Theory when they buy the Time Machine on ebay without realizing that it was the full sized version.[/QUOTE]
That was a great episode too !
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Talk about vintage.
VINTAGE MILO DUPLEX WEIGHT PLATES
[url]http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/spo/3194428857.html[/url]
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[QUOTE=BasementGym;934942533]Talk about vintage.
VINTAGE MILO DUPLEX WEIGHT PLATES
[url]http://pittsburgh.craigslist.org/spo/3194428857.html[/url][/QUOTE]
THose things are really interesting....goes to show how far weightlifting knowledge has come!
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[QUOTE=BasementGym;934942533]Talk about vintage.
VINTAGE MILO DUPLEX WEIGHT PLATES
[/QUOTE]
I think that these plates have been listed for several months. So maybe not that rare?
I would put them on EBay and see what happens!!!
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[QUOTE=smittysgym2009;935863353]I think that these plates have been listed for several months. So maybe not that rare?
I would put them on EBay and see what happens!!![/QUOTE]
Could just be that no one would know what to do with them. Everyone wants vintage iron so they can use it, I can't imagine anyone using those. THey would likely sit in a basement somewhere. I would put them on Ebay, though, I hear that some companies buy old plates that have historical significance. I guess they display them somewhere at their corporate office or something.
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[QUOTE=rlundregan;935869393]Could just be that no one would know what to do with them. Everyone wants vintage iron so they can use it, I can't imagine anyone using those. THey would likely sit in a basement somewhere. I would put them on Ebay, though, I hear that some companies buy old plates that have historical significance. I guess they display them somewhere at their corporate office or something.[/QUOTE]
I think the collectors out there just assemble sets then can sell at a premium. They go in Milo duplex (or triplex) globe dumbbells.
[url]http://vintage-barbell.blogspot.com/2007/02/milo-triplex-us-patent-1316683.html[/url]
I just think they are priced too high.