The Miller-Dunn Divinhood Style 2 is regarded by many collectors as one of the most desirable shallow-water diving helmets ever produced. Manufactured by the Miller-Dunn Company of Miami, Florida, the Divinhood traces its origins to 1915, when the company introduced its first simple shallow-water helmet for civilian and military use. In 1925, Miller-Dunn introduced the greatly improved Style 2, which during the late 1920s and throughout the 1930s became the standard shallow-water diving helmet of the U.S. Navy.
 
The Style 2 is immediately recognizable by its two large, angled glass windows protected by heavy brass guards. The oversized windows provided an excellent field of view, although their angled configuration could distort vision when looking directly ahead. Despite this peculiarity, the design proved highly successful and remained in production for well over a decade, seeing use in military, commercial, salvage, construction, and recreational diving.
 
This beautiful and remarkably original example was recently discovered packed away in a California garage. According to the family, the helmet was set aside during the 1950s as the newly available SCUBA regulator began making equipment like the old Divinhood obsolete. There it remained for more than 70 years, essentially untouched and preserved exactly as you see it today.
 
This helmet retains an identification plate dating it to sometime after 1926 and features the desirable wide-shoulder body, a configuration generally preferred by collectors over the earlier narrow-body examples.
 
Of particular interest is the serial number B131, stamped into the brass window frame. The “B” prefix indicates manufacture for Miller-Dunn by the Burley Metal Parts Company, a subcontractor involved in producing these helmets. The total number of Burley-manufactured Style 2 helmets is unknown, making surviving identified examples especially interesting. Both horizontal brass window guards are also stamped with the matching number 32. Its exact significance is unknown, although the matching placement suggests it was likely applied during manufacture or assembly.
 
The helmet retains a magnificent, authentic patina across its copper body, with traces of the original tinning still visible. All original brass hardware remains present and displays the same rich, consistent aging, giving the helmet an exceptionally attractive and untouched appearance. The copper body is remarkably well preserved, showing only a couple of minor dents along the top. The lower rear edge is pushed inward slightly and could potentially be adjusted, although we feel the helmet presents beautifully exactly as it has survived.
 
The brass window frame, retaining bolts, air elbow with hose adapter, and carrying handle are all original and remain in very nice condition. Particularly impressive is the survival of the original glass windows and their aged white caulking. There is a small chip along the right edge of one window, but it is hardly noticeable and certainly understandable on a helmet approaching a century in age. The consistent surfaces, original components, and decades of natural aging give this helmet precisely the appearance collectors hope to find in an untouched example.
 
Unlike the earlier Style 1 and later Style 3 Divinhoods, the Style 2 was primarily a product of the years between the two World Wars. As a result, it did not benefit from the massive wartime U.S. government procurement that resulted in larger production numbers for other military diving helmets. Today, original Style 2 Divinhoods are remarkably scarce, and examples retaining this degree of originality are considerably harder to find.
 
With its iconic wide-shoulder body, Burley B131 serial number, matching 32 markings, original glass and hardware, and exceptional untouched patina, this is an outstanding example of one of Miller-Dunn’s most celebrated designs. Style 2 Divinhoods seldom appear on the market, and finding one with this combination of originality, condition, and provenance represents a rare opportunity for the advanced diving helmet collector.
 
Helmets sold by Nation’s Attic Inc. include a Certificate of Authenticity (COA). Each certificate bears a unique serial number matching a tamper-resistant holographic decal placed discreetly inside the helmet. This system provides permanent documentation and an additional level of assurance regarding the helmet’s authenticity and provenance.