The price includes a 4% credit card fee. If you pay by check, money order, or bank wire, the discounted price is $13500 delivered within the contiguous United States.
 
This beautiful 20th Century diving helmet was made by John Date in Montreal, Canada. John Date was the only diving helmet manufacturer in Canada. Starting in the 1850’s John Date would go on to make some of the finest helmets ever made in North America. Today just about any example is prized for their quality and rarity.
 
This specific example is a 3-light (windows) 12-bolt helmet. It does feature serial number 581 on the bonnet neck ring, breastplate neck ring, making it a serial #s matching example! This number puts the helmets manufacturer likely during the early 1950s.The helmet features a nice consistent patina to the copper body and brass hardware. The helmet still retains all four brails, twelve wing nuts, exhaust valve, original glass, port guards, glass, air and communications fittings, spring-loaded safety pin, internal air vents, and exhaust chin button. The communications elbow does have the original plug inside still. It does appear that long ago both elbow fittings on the bonnet received repair work to them.
 
It’s not often we have the honor of handling a John Date helmet. This example has a fantastic visual appearance. John Date would make helmets on demand, meaning they only made a helmet when a diver or company specially ordered it. It should be noted that we have been unable to separate the bonnet and breastplate. The old neck ring gasket is still intact and likely expanded. We will have to ship this helmet as one piece.
 
The display stand shown in the photos is available for purchase with this helmet at a discounted price.
 
All helmets sold by Nation’s Attic Inc. will come with a certificate of authenticity (COA). This COA will have a serial # on it that will match the # on a tamperproof holographic decal placed on the inside of the helmet. This level of security and long term assurance of the helmets authenticity is un-matched in the industry and very important to us.