July Antique Diving Helmet & Scuba Auction

In 1912, U.S. Navy gunner George D. Stillson wrote a letter to the Bureau of Construction and Repair complaining about the Navy’s equipment and procedures. The Bureau assigned Stillson the task of analyzing the existing methods as a result. In 1915, Stillson submitted his guidelines in his “Report on Deep Diving Tests.” It contained drawings and descriptions of his recommended U.S. Navy diving helmet, the Mark V. A year later, the U.S. Navy commissioned the A.J. Morse Company to build the first Mark V helmet, which remained in production until 1984. The upcoming auction, presented by Nation’s Attic Inc., offers a 1916 Mark V diving helmet from Morse. The helmet has an identification plate stating the manufacturer, model, serial number, and manufacture date.

In 2006, the Mark V Monument Project Committee commissioned a bronze military diver monument known as ‘Jake.’ To raise the necessary funding, the committee created 300 monument statuettes from 2007 to 2012 and sold them to collectors worldwide. One of these statuettes is highlighted in the auction. The available statuette is the only known piece that was commissioned in stainless steel. A selection of maritime artifacts, posters, books, and diving equipment will be available as well. Interested collectors can view these lots and register to bid on Invaluable.