Hard to find 1960s black leather lace up inline skates. Very early version of the Roller Blade style of skates. Gordon Ware of Chicago Roller Skate Co. personally designed one of the first hockey-style / in-line roller skates, patented in 1966. Unfortunately, the concept was deemed too far ahead of its time, and was swiftly discontinued. In the short term, the consequences were minimal, as the company cashed in during the disco era selling record numbers of its traditional skates. In 1979, a Minneapolis, teenage hockey player named Scott Olson stumbled upon Gordon Ware?s 1966 patent while working on developing his own version of a street hockey inline skate. Olson knew he?d need to get licensing rights from the Wares in order to carry forward with his work, and in 1981, he hitchhiked to Chicago and successfully did just that, with little push back at the Chicago Roller Skate offices. Olson?s product, the Rollerblade, would eventually be sold to every teenager living in a town where summer exists becoming a multi billion dollar industry. By contrast, the once mighty Chicago Roller Skate Company would see its profits dwindle, forcing a sell-off to the National Sporting Goods Company in the 1990s?thus ending the legitimate Chicago era of the ?Chicago? brand. "Chicago Pat. Pend. Made in the U.S.A" stamped on bracket. Seem to be a size 10 or 11. Leather uppers, one skate missing laces. In VG+ condition. Wheels look like brand new.. Perfect addition to your collection. Please use photos to judge condition and bid accordingly.