500 kg Lifting Pulley Block & Original Suspended Loads Safety Sign – Italian Industrial Design - Tool (2) Salvaged

A striking and highly decorative pair of original Italian industrial objects from the mid-20th century, combining authentic lifting equipment with the safety signage specifically associated with its use.
The lot consists of a substantial 500 kg industrial lifting pulley block with forged hook, dating approximately from the 1950s–1960s, together with an original Italian metal warning sign “ATTENZIONE! AI CARICHI SOSPESI”, dating approximately from the 1960s.
The two pieces form an exceptionally coherent ensemble and are particularly suitable for collectors of Industrial Design, factory equipment, vintage workshop objects and Italian industrial archaeology.
The lifting block is an impressive piece of genuine working equipment, weighing approximately 7 kg and measuring 30 × 16 x 6 cm.
Its heavy metal casing retains its beautiful original blue paint, complemented by raised lettering originally finished in red. The surface has acquired a superb natural patina through decades of actual industrial use.
The front retains its original metal identification plate marked:
“KG 500 – O.I.C. MILANO”
indicating a lifting capacity of 500 kg.
The casing also carries the raised name “RONCHI”, an interesting original marking which further contributes to the historical industrial character of the piece.
The substantial forged-metal hook and pulley mechanism are still present. Nothing has been cosmetically restored: scratches, oxidation, worn paint and surface marks have deliberately been preserved as part of the object's authentic industrial patina.
Accompanying the lifting block is a particularly graphic original Italian metal safety sign measuring approximately 44 × 40 cm.
It bears the warning:
“ATTENZIONE! AI CARICHI SOSPESI”
and features a powerful black pictogram depicting a lifting hook and suspended load against a vivid orange triangular warning field.
Its bold typography, simple geometric composition and strong orange, black and white graphics give the sign considerable decorative appeal and are characteristic of mid-century industrial safety design.
This is an original period metal sign, not a modern reproduction.
What makes this lot especially interesting is the direct relationship between the two objects: signs warning of suspended loads were installed in factories, workshops, warehouses and other industrial environments in which lifting equipment such as this 500 kg pulley block was actually used.
Displayed together, they create a highly evocative piece of Italian industrial history, combining functional engineering with the graphic language of workplace safety.
Both objects remain in authentic unrestored condition, showing oxidation, scratches, paint loss and other traces consistent with decades of genuine industrial use. These characteristics are considered an integral part of their history and appearance rather than defects.
They have deliberately been left in their original patina and have not been repainted or artificially restored.
Dimensions:
Industrial lifting pulley block: approx. 30 × 16 cm
Weight: approx. 7 kg
Rated capacity: 500 kg
Metal safety sign: approx. 44 × 40 cm
Period: circa 1950s–1960s
Country of origin: Italy
Materials: metal / steel
Markings: RONCHI – KG 500 – O.I.C. Milano
Condition: original vintage industrial condition with extensive authentic patina and traces of use; unrestored.
A particularly attractive and coherent ensemble for an Industrial Design interior, loft, workshop, restaurant, showroom or collection of 20th-century industrial objects.
Please note: the lifting block is offered as a historical and decorative collectible. Its current lifting capacity and mechanical safety have not been tested and it should therefore not be used for lifting loads without professional inspection and certification.