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HISTORY
of DIVING |
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| For a comprehensive listing
of historic and classic diving books, many of which cover the history of
diving, see the sponsored site Classic
Dive Books.
See also NARRATIVES
page for the following, and others: |
| NEW RELEASES. |
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ANOTHER
WHITSTABLE TRADE Subtitle: An Illustrated History of Helmet Diving.
John Bevan.
This book, "Another Whitstable
Trade", has been initially published with a numbered run of 750 copies
but I am sure re-prints will soon follow. This is the result of around
30 years work and research and "does it show"! It tells the history
of the spread of the diving industry from the small group of divers
in Whitstable in the UK in the early 1800's to the rest of the UK and ultimately
the rest of the world. Everything is so well documented and illustrated
with contemporary photographs and diagrams, countless numbers of
them (well worth having just for all the unseen pictures). This wonderful
book is divided into six sections and again sub-divided within each
section: 1 The Whitstable Connection. 2 Major Organisations.
3 Civil Engineering Applications. 4 Diving Equipment Manufacturers. 5 Selected
Notable Divers. 6 Physiology and Medicine. At the back, there are
11 appendixes that again expand on various subjects including the "Dean
Diving Manual" and a list of Sir Robert Davis's patents. It is a truly
wonderful record of diving history and is well worth having while copies
are still available from the author at www.submex.co.uk where you will
see his other books including "The Infernal Diver" and "The Professional
Divers Handbook".
From the publisher: As early
as 1856 Robert Stephenson MP, the then President of the Institution of
Civil Engineers remarked that ‘Nothing had so much contributed to extend
and facilitate marine engineering, as the invention of the diving
dress'. Coming from so great an authority and only 27 years after
the original invention of the diving dress, this is a truly major proclamation.
So where had the diving dress come from? Exactly how did it generate a
whole new industry? The birthplace of the diving industry can be traced
back to the tiny harbour-town of Whitstable, on the north coast of
Kent. It was the seagoing salvage operations of the inhabitants of this
small town that first attracted, nurtured and then exploited the diving
helmet and dress in the early 1800s. Having established and honed their
diving skills, Whitstablers retained a virtual monopoly over them for many
years. The novel technology inevitably outgrew the small harbour town and
spread all over the world. The transfer of this technology was achieved
through a combination of entrepreneurial copying, dispersion through Royal
Navy dockyards and vessels throughout the British Empire, sale of equipment
and the progressive emigration of divers themselves. In addition to the
massive contribution to marine civil engineering, the impact of the diving
dress on the maritime operations of the unfortunate nations embroiled in
two World Wars was enormous. The present world-wide diving industry, including
the diving companies operating offshore to recover the oil and gas reserves,
owes its existence to the enterprising divers of Whitstable. This book
describes how professional diving developed from its original roots in
Whitstable, how it spread around Britain and how it developed into
a world-wide industry. Hard cover with tan coloured boards and dustjacket;
436 printed pages. Dimensions: 30.5 cms tall by 21.5 cms wide. This is
the second diving history book by the same author the first being "The
Infernal Diver". $156.00 |
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DEEP,
DARK AND DANGEROUS.
On the Bottom with the Northwest
Salvage Divers.
Rebecca Harrison.
There is no shortage of
biographical material written by old-time divers whose literary ability
does not quite match their underwater skills, so it is exciting to read
a book that is so well writen, and covers a number of divers over an even
greater number of fascinating circumstances. The author has done an excellent
job of oral and document research on the the lives of many of the toughest
and most accomplished ‘hard-hat' divers of the period 1800s into the 1900s,
working in the north-west region of the USA. And one of them is a woman
- that has to be ‘first'. John Bevan, himself a well-respected author,
modern diver and businessman, states, "(Harrison) has colourfully
described many of the gruelling, and sometimes gruesome jobs the divers
carried out. Indeed, the book is an excellent representation of the work
of the early helmet divers." Bevan continues (in a review in Underwater
Contractor International), "The main thing is the quality of the stories!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this action-packed book. Unlike many other
books about helmet diving, it is not about an ego, boasting about his personal
prowess. It's about remarkable feats of a selection of some of the most
capable, helmet divers, as seen through someone else's eyes." I certainly
am in no position to disagree with anything Bevan has to say about diving,
and make the presumptious conclusion that he is right. It is a great read;
anyone with even a modicum of interest in the hardships of early commercial
diving will not be disappointed. Softcover, 89 pages, mono photographs,
bibliography, endnotes. $36.00 |
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IRONSUIT:
THE HISTORY OF THE ATMOSPHERIC DIVING SUIT
Gary L. Harris
Provides an historical view
of the Atmospheric Diving System with a description of the mechanics involved
in placing humans and machines under water and under great pressure. Written
by a commercial diver who is a technical mechanic, the book addresses the
need for intelligent understanding of the machine's operations and the
required capability to assess the risks that may be encountered. Chapters
include: The Story of the Atmospheric Diving Suit; Beginning of A.D.S.;
Understanding the Pressure of Sea Water; The Birth of Understanding the
Effects of High Pressure and Decompression; John Scott Haldane; the S.S.
Egypt; The Benjamin Leavitt Story; Early Life Support; The Decades of Stagnation;
The Advent of Mixed-Gas Diving; The Post-War Years; The Decade of Discovery;
The Technical Rebirth of A.D.S.. Bibliography . Paperback, 119 pages, mono
photos, drawings and charts.
$24.00 |
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THE
"PORPOISE" - Australian Diving Technology the World Copied.
Des Walters, Des Williams,
Melven Brown and Tony Gregory.
Forget about that French
chap Cousteau - what about our own true-blue Aussie Ted Eldred, the man
behind the Porpoise regulator, the world's first single-hose regulator,
its uniqueness of the single hose resulting in the design of the two-stage
pressure reduction system that is now in common use with standard compressed-air
sport divers. Ted commenced building his unit in Melbourne in 1948, built
the first prototype a year later, registered the ‘Porpoise' name a year
after that and set to marketing the unit in 1952. One could say, the rest
is history, but there were of course many design changes. Early models
are of course a collectors item - no wonder that the authors, members of
the Historic Diving Society - South-East Asia-Pacific, took it on themselves
to record the development of the Porpoise with biographic details on Ted
Eldred and the development of diving in Australia. The book is exceptionally
well researched, a fascinating read especially for those of a technical
and inquisitive mind - an exceptional contribution to the preservation
of our diving history. It is well illustrated with mono photographs, drawings
and charts - including some fascinating early advertisements. Softcover,
A4 size, mono photographs. $55.00
Note: sadly, Ted Eldred
died in 2005 and did not see the book to which he contributed so generously.
The Historic Diving Society has created the Ted Eldred Award to be presented
to a member of the organisation who meets specific criteria regarding their
contribution to the presentation and preservation of our diving history. |
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THE HISTORY
OF UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHY AND CINEMATOGRAPHY IN ITALY.
Storia della Fotografia
e Cinematografia Subacquea Italiana.
Alberto Romeo.
We know of the French contribution
to recreational diving - Cousteau made sure of that - but few of us have
bothered to appreciate the contribution of the Italians, especially in
underwater photography and cinematography. They have been at it since 1932,
with weird and bulky homemade and later commercial equipment housing the
Rolleimarin and Praktiflex, and the Elmo cinecamera. Names such as Raimondo
Bucher, Roberto Rossellini, Victor de Sanctis and the author himself are
not familiar to us, but they should be for their contribution to the development
of underwater photography. And where did the Nikonos system originate?
We are however familiar, or should be if we have an interest in the history
of diving, with Folco Quilici, Fosco Maraini, Bruno Vailati, Dimitri Rebikoff,
and Louis Boutan, all significant players in the development of underwater
photographer. The book takes a chronological look at this development,
from 1932 to 1989, the latter years mentioning contributions from Hass
and Cousteau as well as our Aussies Cropp and Taylor. The diving gear is
an interest in itself, whereas the photographic equipment seems to have
stabilised in development after a decade or so, its use divided between
housings and the self-contained Nikonos system. A very interesting book
and a great contribution by Alberto Romeo to the historical record of diving.
By the way, has anyone got a copy of the first issue of the Italian Fotosub
magazine, published in 1977; look, it is an artistic cover, thats
why I want it!
Special foldout plastic
cover bound, 430 pages, hundreds of mono photographs, index, bibliography,
text and captions in Italian and English.
Published with the support
of the Historical Diving Society of Italy. $78.00 |
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DIVING PIONEERS AND INNOVATORS.
Link to Narratives. |
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NEW RELEASE
THE HISTORY OF OILFIELD DIVING
- An Industrial Adventure. Christopher Swann.
What a superb book, exceptionally
well researched and fascinating to read. The original oilfield divers demonstrated
exceptional courage, which remains a requirement to this day. Author Christopher
Swann knows his subject as a saturation diver himself. The History of
Oilfield Diving chronicles one of the greatest adventures of the 20th
Century. A story of human endeavour, physical danger and breakneck technological
development, this is the most comprehensive account of oilfield diving
ever written. Until the 1950s there was no oilfield diving industry. The
few men who dived for a living fished for abalone or plied their trade
in harbours and dockyards, on civil engineering projects and on the occasional
salvage project. Nearly all the work was in shallow water. As a result,
there was little innovation in either equipment or techniques. As oil was
found at greater depths, all that changed. In the early 1960s, the oil
companies drilling off the coast of California were pushing the limits
of traditional commercial diving. All their exploratory wells were in 200-250
feet of water, a depth at which nitrogen narcosis becomes a serious limitation.
Progress into still deeper water was about to come to a halt.Until, that
is, a former US Marine, who made a precariouss living diving for abalone,
mounted a scuba regulator in an abalone helmet, bought some helium from
a hospital supply company and dived - to 400 feet. Oilfield diving was
about to take off.
Hardcover, dustjacket, 845
pages, many many money photographs, several colour plates, index, appendicies,
maps, bibliography for each chapter. $155.00. |
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DEEP,
DEEPER, DEEPEST.
Man’s
Exploration of the Sea.
Robert
F. Marx.
If
anyone can write a book on ‘Man’s Exploration of theSea’ it is Robert Marx.
His treasure and archaeological finds are quiteamazing, and with fifteen
books to his credit, he is well versed to writethis book. His style is
easy and interesting and the photographs are adequateto complement the
text. He starts of with free diving, then goes into theearly diving bells,
diving machines and helmet diving. Armoured divingsuits get a mention,
and of course the modern scuba equipment. Additionalchapter cover warfare,
submersibles, underwater habitats, underwater archaeology,sunken treasure,
and oceanography. A very good read - interesting and informative.
Hardcover,
326 pages, mono photos.
$52.00 |
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DIVING PIONEERS
- An Oral History of Diving in America.
Eric Hanauer.
If sport diving did not
start in America, it was certainly developed there post war, with the development
in improved equipment, promotion through television and film, and remarkable
treasure salvage. This is the pioneering era of diving, when innovation
and courage was the prime requisite, and achievement the reward. The book
commenced with a potted history of diving, and the first US dive club,
the San Diego Bottom Scratchers, followed by oral histories from: Walter
Davis, E.R.Cross, Dick Anderson, Wheeler North, Andy Rechnitzer, Connie
Limbaugh, Jim Stewart, Chuck Mitchell, Dottie Frazier, Zale Parry (remembr
Sea Hunt), Norrine Rouse, John Steel, Chuck Nicklin, Bill and Bob Meistrell,
Dick Bonin, Bob Hollis, Frank Scalli, Dan Wagner, Ralph Erikson, Lee Somers
and Tom Mount. This book will tell you who did the great paintings on the
early editions of Skin Diver magazine, who formed the great dive equipment
company Oceanic, who played the leading female role in Sea Hunt. A very
interesting book. Softcover, 266 pages, mono photographs. $28.00 |
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DIVERS
IN TIME.
Australia's
Untold History.
Jeff
Maynard.
The
author is well known for his many well researchedand fascinating articles
on diving history that appear regularly in thediving magazines, as well
as his book ‘Niagara's Gold'. The first thingI checked out was to see if
there was any mention of Noel and Kitty Monkman- and there was, indeed
a very good tribute to these pioneer Australianfilm-makers. The seven major
chapters cover: The Standard Dress Divers,The Pearl Divers, The Inventors,
The Salvage Divers, Divers at Work, TheNavy Divers, The Scuba Divers. Thus
the book covers commercial and militaryoperations, police, pearl and navy
divers, and the introduction of recreationalscuba into Autralia. A great
read, educational and entertaining. And didyou know - the single-hose regulator,
now used by divers worldwide, wasinvented in Melbourne?
Softcover,
158 pages, large A4 size, mono prints. $38.00 |
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DIVING WITH
& WITHOUT ARMOUR
Containing the Submarine
Exploits of J.B.Green the Celebrated Submarine Diver.
J.B. Green.
Faxton's Steam Power Press,
Buffalo, USA, 1859.
Reproduction by Atlantic
Diving Equip. Co. Inc.1990.
Softcover, saddle stiched,
84 pages, mono drawings.
This is quite a remarkable
autobiography, rare in that not too many divers of the mid 19th century
had the verbal skills to elucidate their techniques an adventures. Mr.
Green notes that his career made him a cripple for life. A wonderful read.
$26 |
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HISTORY
OF SPEARFISHING AND SCUBA DIVING IN AUSTRALIA.
(The
First 80 years 1917 to 1997).
Tom
Byron.
This
was certainly worth waiting for. It is unusuallypresented in that it departs
from the normal continuous text concept andrelies instead on hundreds of
newspaper-style headings and stories, someindeed condensed directly from
newspaper and magazine articles. It is thereforeand eminently readable
book as you can skip from article to article asthe interest warrants -
from death to treasure, failures and achievements,early equipment and technique,
and the pioneers of our sport. A most valuablebook and a must for all divers.
Hardcover
(laminated boards), A4 size,311 pages, index, many fascinating mono photographs.
$42.00 |
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MAN
AND THE UNDERWATER WORLD.
Pierre
de Latil and Jean Rivoire. Translated from the French by Edward Fitzgerald.
First
published in France, 1954 as A la Recherche du Monde Marin. First published
in Great Britain 1956,
Jarrolds,
London. In my humble opinion, this is the best book written
on the development of diving from the early ancient myths of the
Greek Gods to the development of scuba, and submersible exploration. A
brilliant book, a most significant contribution to our knowledge
of the underwater world, superbly researched and written. Of great historical
value for its content and being relatively rare.
Hardcover,
dust jacket, 400 pages, mono prints throughout.
Second
hand. We occasionally have a second-hand copy: price range to $100. |
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MANUAL
FOR DIVERS 1905
Prepared
at the Naval Torpedo Station, Washington D.C.1905
(Issued
to Seamen Gunners in the US Navy).
This
is a wonderful reprint of a most historic and fascinatingmanual. The seven
chapters include ‘requirements for divers', ‘ descriptionof diving apparatus',
accidents', ‘rules for resuscitation' (do not standthe diver on his head),
‘signals', ‘preparation and care of equipment',‘pressure at depth'.
Softcover,
44 pages plus 22 mono plates.
$35.00 |
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THE
INFERNAL DIVER
John Bevan.
A wonderful, remarkable
book, so much to read.
From the fly: Until now
it has been erroneously believed that Augustus Siebe was the inventor of
the standard diving helmet. He was, in fact, the leading manufacturer.
Siebe himself never claimed to be the inventor but with the passage
of time and the recognised excellence of his manufacturing standards, Siebe's
name superseded that of the true inventors, John and Charles Deane. This
book reinstates the Deane brothers as inventors of the diving helmet and
traces their lives from humble beginnings in east London, through their
sea-going careers, their invention and development of the diving helmet
and dress and their subsequent underwater exploits. From their modest beginnings
in Whitstable, Kent; they conducted their various underwater activities
including treasure-hunting, wreck clearance, salvage, marine civil engineering
and military support. The wrecks of the Mary Rose and the Royal George
feature prominently in their lives. Their invention was of enormous significance
for the future of underwater operations. The diving dress and helmet were
enthusiastically embraced by the Royal Engineers and Royal Navy who used
them to great advantage in the Crimea. They commissioned John Deane as
their resident diving and explosives expert during the campaign. It was
in the Crimea, due to his impressive success at blowing up underwater obstacles
that he earned the title, "The Infernal Diver". This book charts the successes
and failures, the triumphs and tragedies of the Deane brothers' remarkable
lives. Their story rewrites an importaItt and hitherto mis-represented
part of diving history - the birth of the diving helmet and dress; the
origin of today's international diving industry.Hardcover, dust jacket,
A4 size, 314 pages, mono and colour prints, line drawings, index.$130.00 |
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THE SCHRADER COLLECTION
An historic collection of
material from the A. Schrader Diving Equipment Co. Of New York, manufactures
of diving helmets.
The collection consists
of several items, provided in clear plastic protective sheets A4 size in
a four-ring D binder.
Included:
* An 8-page A4 size history
of August Schrader and his company.
* Forty (40) exclusive diving
prints on archival paper suitable for framing, or retaining as is, each
in its own plastic protective sheet
* An 8-page A4 size full
colour booklet of Schrder and Craftswell Equipment Corp helmets.
Within the collection you
will find a complete set of 10 MkV drawings; Helium Hat; 1916 Schrader
MkV Prototype photo and drawing; 1898, 1912 and 1917 Schrader Knives; Early
Schrader Air Pumps; Many Schrader helmets from 1898 to 1941 including 4
& 5 bolt helmets.
Note: Only the Australian
released edition from Oceans Enterprises contains the collection in a ring-binder
and plastic protective sheets. (The US edition contains loose booklets
and sheets in a cardboard folder).
$98.00 |
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SOLID
BRASS.
A
true account of commercial hard hat diving, from theauthor who took UDT/SEAL
training , Navy diving, abalone diving and hardhat diving over a 45 year
career taking him from Mexico to Alaska. ‘Eachexciting story is an uncensored
version of the life and adventures of thesegutsy divers.
Hardcover,
laminated boardss, 238 pages, illustrated drawingsand mono photographs
throughout.
$54.00 |
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STARS
BENEATH THE SEA.
'The
Extraordinary Lives of The Pioneers of Diving.'
Trevor
Norton.
Who
are our underwater heroes? Cousteau and Hass comereadily to mind, and to
the historically educated, no doubt Gagnan, Dumasand Taillez, Siebe and
Davis, Rouquayrol and Denayrouze But what of theman who gave Hans Hass
his first lessons in diving, Guy Gilpatrick, orthe incredible naturalists
Henri Edwards and Roy Miner, the depth-defyingCharles William Beebe, or
the remarkable English marine biologist and educatorJack Alwyne Kitching?
These were truly remarkable pioneers of diving, settingstandards and procedures
for divers to follow, opening the underwater worldto the closed minds of
the university academics who could not comprehendwhat they could not see.
Of Haldane, father and son, we, perhaps, knowa little, for they set the
standards for breathing air at high pressuresresulting in the development
of decompression tables, and the use of ahelium-oxygen breathing mix.
That it should have become a best-sellerand acclaimed by all who read it,
Stars Beneath the Sea owes its appealnot only in its remarkable subject
matter but more so on the succinct andeloquent style of the author, peppered
with humour and anecdote. I foundit to be one of the most rewarding books
on diving I have ever read, providingrelaxed entertainment with a wealth
of knowledge - a most remarkable book.
Softcover,
282 pages, mono prints.
$28.00
Review |
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THE AMERICAN
DIVE CATALOG COLLECTION.
Ray Mathieson.
From the 1870's.
Over 400 pages of very rare
American catalogs:
Alfred Hale Co.;A.Schrader
Diving Equip. Co. (3) catalogs;
A.J.Morse &Son (3);
D.E.S.Co.;
Miller Dunn Co. (3);
Batteryless Telephone Equip.
Co.;
Craftsweld Co.;
John Date Co. (2);
M.&E. Marine Supply
Co.;
Buie ww2 Helium Helmet;
Ohio Rubber Co. (maker of
the Victor Berge mask);
Thompson Eng. Co. (maker
of the T.E.Co. full face mask);
E.J. Willis Co. (distributor
of the Snead Shallow water helmets and air pump).
Hard cover with leatherette
finish, A4 size, limited to 1500 un-numbered copies.
$155 ex Australia.
If in USA US$100.00 |
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THE SILENT WORLD.
Captain J.Y. Cousteau with
Frederic Dumas.
First published in Great
Britain, 1953, Hamish Hamilton, London. (It went through at least seven
impressions in its first year - thats shows either a remarkable acceptance
or bad planning - no doubt both). Was this book the making of Cousteau?
Of course not, but it helped to consolidate his place in the public mind
as a remarkable pioneer of diving. I have heard ot said that it should
be prescribed reading for all divers but frankly, I find Cousteau
had to read - but then I find Cousteau hard to bear - but thats just
me. Perhaps its because
he is just so damned skinny!!! There is nothing about the historic development
of scuba (is Gagnan even mentioned?), centering rather on the diving exploits
of the French Navy's Underwater Research Group and the Calypso. It is however
an important work as it was perhaps the first ‘popular' book to bring attention
of the general public to the underwater world.
Hardcover, dust jacket,
148 pages, mono plates throughout, sixteen colour plates (from National
Geographic).
Second hand only. Well out
of print. We do have copies most times in stock. Cost is about $40-$60
with an original dust jacket or computer generated jacket based on the
original. |
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U.S. NAVY
1916 MANUAL
This is the jewel of all
U.S. Navy manuals! Professionaly reproduced, softcover, square-back bound,
172 pages, including 42 illustrations. Limited to 2,000 un-numbered copies.
This year, 1916, was the transitional period when the US Navy greatly improved
the divrng equipment, after several years of testing, and co-incides with
the time the Mark 5 diving helmet was first introduced.
$32.00 |
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