Vintage Roller Skates on Wooden Floorboards

In 1863 James Plimpton, an inventor in New York, patented a roller skate with its wheels in two pairs on cushioned pivots, so the skater could turn just by leaning. Nearly every four-wheel skate since has worked the same way. These old ones were made to clamp onto ordinary shoes and were tightened with the little key lying on the floorboards next to them. Kids often wore that key on a string around the neck so it couldn't get lost. It's a roller skate jigsaw puzzle all scuffed leather and steel.