Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Italy: Other manufacturers

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Angelo, for the like.

Now we move on to the Mordem range of diving eyewear available in the early 1970s. First, we have Mordem swimming goggles (occhiali per nuoto):

1972

1973

Italian: "Mod. 20194 - Occhiali per nuoto. Gomma nera. Parte trasparente in plastica. Adatti quindi anche per piscina."
Rough translation: "Model 20194 - Swim goggles. Black rubber. Plastic transparent part. Hence also suitable for swimming pools."

1974

Caption ditto. So a pair of goggles designed for surface swimming.

 

[David Wilson]

And to complete today's contrubution, here is the Mordem Carina:

1972

1973

Italian: "Mod. 20240 - Carina. Colore: nero. Cerchietto plastica giallo. Per donna e regazzi che desiderano una maschera sicura ed efficiente."
Rough translation: "Model 20240 - Carina. Black colour. Yellow plastic rim. For women and youngsters who want a secure and efficient mask."

1974

Caption ditto. There is a touch of déjà vu here as we have come across the product name "Carina" before, to be precise when we discussed Polimare diving masks. The Polimare Carina was described thus: "CARINA a facciale per ragazzi." ("CARINA facemask for youngsters."

And the name "Carina"? "Carina" is the name of a constellation in the southern sky (see below). Its name is Latin for the keel of a ship, and it was the southern foundation of the larger constellation of Argo Navis (the ship Argo) until it was divided into three pieces, the other two being Puppis (the poop deck), and Vela (the sails of the ship):

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As for the Mordem Carina mask itself, a perhaps unremarkable oval-lens design with no compensator to enable ear clearing at depth.

Enough for today. I shall return midweek to review a couple of further Mordem diving masks from the early 1970s. In the meantime, keep sage and stay well.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Carina also is a female adjective, meaning "pretty":
"una ragazza molto carina" = "a very pretty girl"

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Angelo, for the like and the further clarification of the adjective "carino/carina".

Now for some more Mordem diving masks. First today is the Aldebaran:

1972

1973

Italian: "Mod. 20241 - ALDEBARAN. Colore: Nero. Cerchietto plastica rosso. E' questa la maschera per alta profondità."
Rough translation: "Model 20241 - ALDEBARAN. Colour: Black. Red plastic rim. This is the mask for deepest dives."

1974

Italian: "Mod. 20241 - ALDEBARAN. Colore: Nero. Cerchietto plastica rosso. Ampio campo visivo."
Rough translation: "Model 20241 - ALDEBARAN. Colour: Black. Red plastic rim. Broad field of vision."

In my last contribution I mentioned that the mask name "Carina" was very likely inspired by the celestial constellation of that name. "Aldebaran" also has links to astronomy:

"Aldebaran" is the brightest star in the constellation Taurus and is known as the "Eye of Taurus." The name "Aldebaran" is Arabic, which means "The Follower" because it appears to follow the Hyades star cluster that forms the head of the bull. The Italian diving equipment company Polimare, whose basic gear we have already reviewed, also brought out a mask called "Aldebaran", but I have been unable to locate an illustration of the product. The Polimare Aldebaran was described thus: "ALDEBARAN panoramica con naso, a basso volume interno, cerchietto INOX, cristallo temperato" (ALDEBARAN panoramic with nose pocket, low internal volume, stainless steel band, tempered glass).

 

[David Wilson]

Second mask of the day is the Mordem Incas:

1972

1973

Italian: "Mod. 20244 - INCAS. Colore: Nero. Cerchietto plastica verde. La maschera classica del subacqueo."
Rough translation: "Model 20241 - ALDEBARAN. Colour: Black. Green plastic rim. The diver's classic mask."

1974

Caption ditto. Another typical kidney-shaped 1970s diving mask. At face value, the model is named after the Inca people, whose empire was centred on what is now Peru. Astronomy was incredibly important for Inca civilisation, so perhaps the name is consistent with the naming of other Mordem masks

Four more Mordem masks to go, and we shall review a couple of them at the weekend. In the meantime, stay safe and keep well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Jale, for the likes.

Let us proceed to the Mordem Maya diving mask. Like the Incas, after whom one of last Wednesday's masks was named, today's mask is named after an indigenous people with an ancient civilization noted for its art, architecture, mathematics, calendar, and astronomical system. Today's Maya, who are generally descended from people who lived within that historical civilization, inhabit southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador and Honduras (see map above).

1972

1973

Italian: "Mod. 20243 - MAYA. Colore: nero. Cerchietto plastica giallo o metallo cromato. A forma ovale con possibilità di stringere il naso per la compensazione."
Rough translation: "Model 20243 - MAYA. Black colour. Yellow plastic or chromed metal rim. Oval-shaped with the possibility of nose-pinching for compensation purposes."

1974

Caption ditto.

So a traditional oval mask with compensator bosses on the inside and finger wells on the outside to squeeze the nostrils. In keeping with the decade, the rim is available in a choice of plastic or chromed metal, the latter without the now less common top screw.

 

[David Wilson]

On to the Mordem Maruzza and Maruzzella diving masks, which were relative latecomers on the market, making their début as they did in 1973:

1973

Italian: "Mod. 20239 - MARUZZA. Colore: nero. Cerchietto plastica azzurra. A forma tonda, maschera quindi con massima ampiezza visiva, pur con con minimo volume interno, in quanto la faccia interna del bordino du tenuta del cristallo è in linea con la svasatura interna della maschera. Ø cm. 15. Mod. 20238 - MARUZZELLA. Medesime caratteristiche della maschera Maruzza. Ø cm. 14."
Rough translation: "Model 20239 - MARUZZA. Black colour. Round-shaped, hence a mask with maximum breadth of vision, albeit with minimum internal volume, as the inside edge of the lens seal is in line with the internal counterbore of the mask. Ø cm. 15. Model 20238 - MARUZZELLA. Same characteristics as Maruzza mask. Ø cm. 14"

1974

Ditto caption.

Both masks come with circular faceplates and without compensator bosses, differing only in their diametrical measurements, the Maruzzella having the smaller dimensions of the pair. Incidentally, "Maruzza" is Italian for "sea snail", while "Maruzzella" is a diminutive of "Maruzzella", hence meaning "little sea snail".

That must suffice for today. Back again midweek. Meanwhile, stay safe and keep well.

 

[Angelo Farina]

Currently "maruzza" and maruzzella" (local dialect of Naples) are not exactly the same sea shell. Here the maruzza:

And here the maruzzella:

I mostly like the second ones, cooked in a bath of red sauce...

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Angelo, for the like and for the explanation of the Neapolitan-Italian terms "Maruzzo" and "Maruzella" as they apply to shellfish.

Two more Mordem diving mask models to review. First up is the Merak. We may remember the name from the time I reviewed a similarly named mask made by Polimare sub. Merak is not only the name of a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Majorbut also the Turkish word for "curiosity".

1972

1974

Italian: "Mod. 20232 - MEROK. Colore: nero. Cerchietto plastica estero giallo. Doppio cerchietto interno plastica."
Rough translation: "Model 20232 - MEROK. Black colour. Yellow outer plastic rim. Double inner plastic rim."

So another kidney-shaped diving mask of the kind in common usage during the 1970s. Coincidentally, the Polimare Merak model came with a nose surrounding lens too:

 

[David Wilson]

Second Mordem diving mask of the day is the Tucana, which appeared in the company's 1972 and 1974 catalogues like the Merak.

Tucana (The Toucan) is a constellation of stars in the southern sky (see above), named after the toucan, a South American bird famed for its large colourful bill and pictured in an old advertisement for Guinness dry stout beer below. Be sure to get the pun in the last line of the caption!

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1972

1974

Italian: "Mod. 20247 - TUCANA. Colore: nero. Cerchietti plastica gialla. A vetri separati."
Rough translation: "Model 20247 - TUCANA. Black colour. Yellow plastic rims. Separate lenses."

A two-lens mask, therefore, resembling many modern examples of diving eyewear. For those of you expecting the toucan-like long-beaked personal protective equipment of a medieval European plague doctor (below), sorry to disappoint you.

And there we shall leave matters for today. Back at the weekend with a review of Mordem breathing tubes. Keep safe and stay well until then.