Vintage Olympic Drums - USA

USA Olympic floor tom blue.jpg (46299 bytes)

1970's 16 inch floor tom in Polychromatic Blue finish. In the UK this finish was only available on Premier drums. This one has lost its bottom!
USA GS Oly Darren.jpg (120246 bytes)

Thanks to Darren Watts from Mansfield Ohio for this pic of his pristine Gold Sparkle wood shell snare, model 1002.
black oyster silk finish.jpg (42377 bytes)  

1970's USA 16 inch Floor Tom shown in Oyster finish, this was a Premier colour but was never used on UK drums (thanks to Tam Rankin for correcting us on this item).
USA Olympic 1005.jpg (70263 bytes) 1005 14x5.5 Chrome Shell 8 lug snare, USA badge.  This drum was available as a snare drum kit with case, stand, practice pad etc.
Speedex pad and case.jpg (48087 bytes) This pic shows a case, practice pad and tutor book, there was also a Selmer.  A Speedex stand supplied with these kits. Selmer distributed Premier and Olympic drums in the USA at this time.
1967 USA Gold Sparkle Kit 63.jpg (137424 bytes) 1967 Olympic Gold Sparkle Kit 63  USA model not featured in UK Catalogues
1967 USA GSP Kit 66.jpg (142804 bytes) 1967 Olympic Green Silk Pearl Kit 66 USA model not featured in UK Catalogues, note the address at the bottom of these pages.
1970's USA 8 lug Gold Sparkle.jpg (22865 bytes) 1970's USA snare, 8 lug model in Gold Sparkle with stand
IMG01105232716A.jpg (381945 bytes) 1976 - USA catalogue shows this Olympic kit, which was badged 'Rebel'.  It has a 8 lug bass drum and is shown in natural wood finish.  This finish was not available on Olympic kits in the UK
1025.jpg (32347 bytes)

Here is a pic of a USA model 1025 snare drum, this is a 10 lug version of the 1005 and again this drum was never available in the UK. Note the Hi-Fi style strainer was fitted rather than the normal 1636 type.
PRENSNAR3.jpg (23330 bytes)PREMSNAR4.jpg (29920 bytes) This small 12 inch snare 5 lug was named New Era in the UK and was mainly for school use, however this drum is shown with an American Olympic badge. Note the beer tap type strainer as fitted to Discus snare drums.
1975 USA Rebel BSP.jpg (121729 bytes) USA Olympic "Rebel" kit with 8 lug Bass drum this is listed as shown in Blue Silk Pearl although the picture looks as if its Grey Silk Pearl.
purple oly 1976 USA.jpg (27366 bytes) Bass drum pictured in the 70's US catalogue and named as Lavender finish but here in the UK this was known as Polychromatic Royal Purple.
1973 USA Olympic finish swatch.jpg (64528 bytes)swatch2.jpg (55999 bytes)

Thanks to Tam Rankin for these pics of Olympic colours available in the US around 72-73. The scans are from single swatches taken from Tam's Premier/Olympic finish samples. It would seem that both Red and White Silk Pearl had been dropped, however as can be seen from other pics other finishes were available that never saw the light of day here in the UK. Natural Wood and Oyster come to mind. The relevant catalogue suggests that any finish including Premier ones could be applied to Olympic drums. Lucky Americans!!