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This Exceptional Helmet Has Been Sold. Thank you! ANTIQUE DRAEGER 3 BOLT DIVE HELMET CA 1917   Draeger's diving operations date back to 1902, and they are one of the few of these early companies that continue in business today, and they were one of the first to use rebreathing technology. Their helmets are in use worldwide by the Navy, commercial divers and collectors. This Ca 1917 helmet is a near perfect example.  DIMENSIONS:                  18 1/2"H x 17" W x 18" D                   Weight 40 1/2 pounds SERIAL NUMBERS:        Bonnet 15xx        Breast Plate 15xx    Copyright 2014 by Land And Sea Collection™, All Rights Reserved Presented is a WW I Era Antique 3 bolt, 4 light Draeger Air Hat from the collection of  a second generation deep water diver who had a collectors' compulsion of gathering everything he could related to diving. The helmet is in excellent condition overall which is surprising after 97 years. This is an Air helmet referred to as Style DM 20, which means that air is supplied from a surface pump rather than using attached tanks in which the air is recirculated, as is done in Draeger's DM 40 model. In this helmet, the air enters from a central location next to the front port and there is a single duct just above the neck ring. The numbers on the bonnet and breast plate match and date to Ca 1917.  There are also matching build numbers, 24 on the upper and lower flange at the back below the center nut. CONDITION: Overall excellent. Frequently the front of the breast plate on this style helmet is bent horizotal, but not on this helmet. The front port rests on a rubber gasket and the added friction keeps it from opening. It's glass is a replacement and is slightly loose. There are three shallow dents on the back, and the cap on the back left elbow does not seat properly.  The speaker appears to be quite recent. Like all used diving gear, this is being sold for DISPLAY ONLY. It should not be dived without having passed inspection by a certified dive shop.             Right and left sides of antique Draeger 3 bolt Air Hat   PROVENANCE: From the estate of a hardscrabble character and second generation hard hat diver, and the son of a member of the salvage team of the 17 month project to refloat the French ocean liner Normandie on the Hudson River that completed in 1947. Not only did the deceased have an incredible hard helmet and diving equipment collection, he also, in his lifetime, managed to assemble an amazing collection of anything related to diving. MAKER'S BRIEF HISTORY:  The Draeger company was founded in Lübeck in 1889 as Dräger & Gerling by J. Heinrich Dräger and Carl Adolf Gerling. The first patent was taken out for a reduction device for carbon dioxide in use to tap beer. In 1902  the company was named Drägerwerk Heinr. und Bernh. Dräger. In 1912, the Drägerwerk had developed a standard diving dress without an umbilical. Air supply came from a rebreather. Since 1941, Hans Hass used bag-on-back rebreathers originally built by Dräger for self-rescue of submarine crews (Tauchretter, like the Davis Escape Set). The first Dräger-Tauchretter had been built in 1907. In 1926, the Bade-Tauchretter was brought into action for rescuing drowned swimmers. Today. it makes the popular Atlantis, Ray and Dolphin line of sport diving semi-closed-circuit nitrox rebreathers. It also makes the LAR-5 and LAR-6 military oxygen rebreathers, and LAV-7 military rebreather (switchable between closed-circuit and semi-closed-circuit). It has two subsidiaries. One services the health care industry and the other is a manufacturer of personal protection and gas detection technology, and a supplier of safety systems for industry, fire prevention, mining and other hazardous areas. The products and services from Dräger Safety warn and protect people from airborne pollutants and enable people to breathe reliably even in extreme situations. Back of helmet showing the comm elbow far right and the air supply at the left. Note matching numbers , 24.          Inside of  bonnet showing speaker over picture of air vent The maker's name on the left and matching serial numbers to the right shown over underside of corselet   OUR UNCONDITIONAL 'NO NONSENSE“ GUARANTEE: If not completely satisfied with your purchase it may be returned, if without damage, within three days of receipt in its original packaging. Return items must be insured for their full value. Only a prior email authorization by us for the return is required. Shipping charges are refundable if due to our error within the continental United States.   International buyers welcome, but inquire first. We have satisfied customers in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Canada, Chile, Republic of China, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Denmark, Estonia, England, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Martinique, Mexico, New Hebrides (Vanuatu), New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Nova Scotia, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, St. Maarten, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, USVI, Vanuatu (New Hebrides) and the Eastern Caribbean.   SHIPPING & PACKING: In the United States a helmet such as this will ship for $125.00 to the 48 contiguous Sates.   STANDARD FORMS OF PAYMENT are Bank wire transfer, cashier's check, money order, or personal check in which case the item will be held until cleared. Our prices are quoted net to us so that the use of credit cards or PayPal incur extra charges. Terms on overseas sales are different.    Copyright 2014 by Land And Sea Collection™, All Rights Reserved