The price includes credit card fee. If you pay by check, money order, or bank wire, the discounted price is $3,550 delivered within the contiguous United States.
Presented is a rare opportunity to acquire the bonnet from a World War II U.S. Navy Mark V diving helmet, manufactured by DESCO (Diving Equipment & Salvage Co.) of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Although the original breastplate is no longer present, the serial number 1149, stamped inside the neck ring, allows this bonnet to be confidently dated to May 5, 1944. Years ago, we handled helmet #1147, whose ID plate was stamped, providing an excellent point of reference for dating this example.
Recently discovered during the demolition of an old barn, this bonnet remains in remarkably untouched, as-found condition. Finding an original Mark V bonnet that has escaped polishing, restoration, or parts swapping is becoming increasingly uncommon. Even more impressive is its exceptional state of preservation. The spun copper shell is free of any significant dents.
Perhaps most remarkable is its completeness. The bonnet remains equipped with the very components it left the factory with more than eighty years ago. It retains its original BTE exhaust valve, spitcock valve, air elbow fitted with a Schrader-marked non-return valve, communications elbow with its original single-pin female connector, dumbbell safety latch, original faceplate, and original glass.
The interior is equally well preserved, with the original air vents intact, chin button present, and the original Guided Radio reproducer still installed, complete with its U.S. Navy inspection stamp and associated telephone wiring. It is increasingly unusual to find these internal components surviving together in an unrestored helmet.
Beyond its excellent condition, this bonnet carries an undeniable historical appeal. Manufactured just one month before the Allied landings on D-Day, it represents the same rugged equipment relied upon by U.S. Navy divers during one of the most pivotal periods of World War II.
Whether you have been searching for an authentic Mark V bonnet to complete a restoration or simply appreciate displaying the most recognizable and visually striking portion of the iconic Mark V helmet, few opportunities compare to an untouched World War II example of this quality.
The price includes credit card fee. If you pay by check, money order, or bank wire, the discounted price is $3,550 delivered within the contiguous United States.