History of Dan Lurie
If you think back to the days of York vs. Weider and the beginning of the IFBB, you may also think of Dan Lurie. If not, you should.
Bodybuilder and weight manufacturer, Dan Lurie grew up in New York City. He was a young Joe Weider’s contact and salesman in the United States before a less than friendly split. Lurie then struck out on his own to form Dan Lurie Barbell Company. Although the feud between Joe Weider and York Barbell founder, Bob Hoffman, is contained within the movie Bigger, it along with other historical accounts skips over Dan Lurie.
Weider and Lurie
Weider formed the IFBB, but Dan Lurie also had his own bodybuilding organization and his own feud with Joe Weider! You can learn more about their relationship by listening to Episode 16 of the Lift History Podcast. My guest, Noam Schwartz, expertly explains the different perspectives of the gentlemen regarding their falling out and subsequent feud. The books Noam references are available on Amazon, and if using the links on this page, you’ll support the website.
Some of Noam’s Collection
Noam also explains the many variations of the Dan Lurie “street address” weight plates. In short, Dan Lurie began producing weight plates of his own while still living in his parents home, and he put that address on some of them. As he moved to a larger facility, a show room, and subsequent locations, he also produced some plates with those street addresses as well. Noam explains each on the podcast.
Noam’s “Street Address” Dan Lurie Standard Weight Plates
It’s unknown why Lurie only produced some with the street address and some without, but it’s largely agreed upon in the vintage weight community that the street address Lurie plates are much more rare than without. Noam and I discuss other variations of Dan Lurie weight plates to include Olympic Deep Dish and “Cartoon Letter” plates. We also spend the last third of the episode discussing old iron and the hobby of collecting vintage weights.
Noam’s Dan Lurie Olympic Deep Dish Set
“Cartoon Letter” 100 lb Weight Plate and a “Street Address” Dan Lurie Weight Plate
Noam is a moderator for both leading Facebook vintage weight groups, the Vintage York Barbell Owners and Vintage Weights & Physical Culture. Along with Facebook groups, we explore Iron History and other ways that we learn about vintage weights. Noam even shares a valuable tip for finding old weights!
Thank you so much to Noam for appearing on the Lift History Podcast. If you’d like to follow Noam on Instagram, you can find him here.
