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

[Angelo Farina]

Looks like I fell behind by three or four sessions. Oh, well; I'm caught up now. Since no translations were offered for those 1960 advertisements, I'll try my hand at the one with the woman in the black swimsuit.

I don't speak Italian. But I do speak Spanish and Portuguese, which are Romance languages, hence related to Italian. From my knowledge of those, I get the words across the picture as:
25 meters - Francesca Borra - Tigullio mask and fins - new depth record in female breathhold

And down below in the white space:
The indisputable quality of "Tigullio" products is [per tutti] and underwater [che pescano] at great depth, absolute guarantee
Words in brackets are the ones I don't know.

Lets try to better translate:

The undisputable quality of Tigullio products is for all divers who spearfish at great depths, absolute guarantee.

 

[David Wilson]

I'm grateful, Angelo, for the linguistic assistance. And to Sam for the likes.

And now for Tigullio's other "flagship" diving mask, the Smeralda. "Smeralda" is Italian for "emerald" and the choice of product name may be an allusion to the Costa Smeralda (above), which is "a coastal area and tourist destination in northern Sardinia, Italy, with a length of some 20 km, although the term originally designated only a small stretch in the commune of Arzachena. With white sand beaches, golf clubs, private jet and helicopter services, and exclusive hotels, the area has drawn celebrities, business and political leaders, and other affluent visitors."

The Tigullio Smeralda diving mask made its début in 1963:

Italian: "Ricerche di laboratorio, studi scrupolosi affidati ad eminenti fisiologi, numerose prove effettuate da campioni subacquei fino a 90 metri con autorespiratore e a 35 metri in apnee, progettazioni di noti art-designer, hanno creato, dopo un anno di intenso lavoro, una maschera TECNICA completamente nuova: la SMERALDA, che la società TIGULLIO presenta per la prima volta ai lettori di Mondo Sommerso. La SMERALDA non è una comune maschera è un articolo tecnico che risponde in pieno a tutte le sollecitazioni meccaniche che un subacqueo affronta immergendosi. Niente è stato affidato si caso ma ogni particolare, dalla qualità della gomma, alle reggetta, al vetro temperato, alle guarnizioni, al volume interno è stato studiato per garantire une funzionalità è una perfezione assoluta. Non sono stati trascurati i lati estetici: difatti la SMERALDA è una maschera elegante con ben 13 combinazioni di colori. La SMERALDA è certamente una maschera che qualificherà un subacqueo. La TIGULLIO sarà lieti di inviare subito in omaggio il catalogo tecnico a chi ne farà richiesta."
Rough translation: "Laboratory research, scrupulous studies entrusted to eminent physiologists, numerous tests carried out by underwater champions at depths up to 90 metres with self-contained breathing apparatus and 35 metres without, designs by well-known art-designers, have created, after a year of intense work, a completely new TECHNICAL mask: the SMERALDA, which the TIGULLIO company is introducing for the first time to "Mondo Sommerso" readers. The SMERALDA is no ordinary mask, it is a technical article fully responding to all the mechanical stresses a diver faces while diving. Nothing has been left to chance, what with every detail, from the quality of the rubber, to the rim, to the tempered glass, to the seals, to the internal volume having been designed to guarantee functionality and absolute perfection. The cosmetic aspects have not been neglected: in fact, the SMERALDA is an elegant mask with 13 colour combinations. The SMERALDA is certainly a mask that will distinguish a diver. TIGULLIO will be happy to send their technical catalogue immediately as a gift to anyone requesting it.

And if this description is a little "wordy", here is a summary of the selling points:

Italian: "è la Smeralda! la più nuova, la più funzionale, la più elegante delle maschere oggi in commercio."
Rough translation: "It's the Smeralda! The newest, the most functional, the most elegant of masks on today's market."

 

[David Wilson]

The Tigullio Smeralda, or a design closely resembling the model, qualified for patents in several countries. Here is US patent 3,336,599 for "Diving Masks":

Similar patents appeared in West Germany for "Unterwassermaske mit durch schnell verschließbaren Rahmen befestigbarer Glasscheibe und wahlweise verwendbarem Ausblasventil" (DE1913985), in Spain for "Perfeccionamientos en mascaras submarinas con válvula de expulsión de uso voluntario" (ES306152) and in France for "Masque subaquatique" (FR1414320).

The Smeralda mask eventually ended up in the catalogue of Tigullio's successor company GSD, which we shall be exploring after completing our review of Tigullio masks, snorkels and fins. Next time, some time midweek, we shall review the Smeralda's derivatives, the Smeraldina and the Super Smeralda. In the meantime, keep safe and stay well.

 

[Angelo Farina]

My first "serious" mask, purchased for following my first diving course in 1975, was a GSD very similar to Smeralda.
It was equipped with a purge valve below the tip of the nose, but the rubber was uncut. For making it operational, the owner had to cut away 5 rubber protrusions, which became 5 small holes.
But my instructor told me to not enable the purge valve, as it had made the mask illegal for the exam, where the diver had to proof his capabality of evacuating the mask without the help of a purge valve.
I am very anxious to see here the GSD masks and fins.
GSD was one of the most innovative brands in the seventies, introducing significant innovations, such as a regulator (named the Spinnaker) with two second stages feeding the same mouthpiece...

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks to jale and Angelo for the likes. Also grateful for your input about GSD, Angelo.

Today's diving masks are the Tigullio Smeraldina and Super Smeralda. These names derive from the Italian "Smeralda" meaning "emerald", possibly referencing the island of Sardinia's "Emerald Coast", popular with affluent jet-setters.

The review below appeared in a 1966 issue of the Italian diving magazine Mondo Sommerso. The legibility is far from perfect because of the proximity of the left margin to the centrefold and hence my reproduction of the original is incomplete, resulting in gaps in the subsequent translation:

Italian: "LA "SMERALDINA" DELLA TIGULLIO. La nuova «Smeraldina» della Tigullio è una maschera ?? particolarmente per i più giovani. Come Mondo Sommerso ?? annunciato nel numero ?? nel servizio «Sub '66» indicato alle novità della stagione si tratta della sorella minore della nota « Smeralda » della Tigullio, di cui conserva tutte le caratteristiche tecniche ed estetiche. Naturalmente è dimensionata per il profilo facciale dei più giovani. Le differenze sono solamente tre: 1) il vetro, che anzi?? essere in cristallo temperato ?? di un nuovo materiale ?? infrangibile e abbastanza resistente alla abrasione; l'u?? inconveniente effettivo delle reduzione plastica è una ten?? più spiccata ad appan?? perciò bisognerà avere ??sori cure nell'applicarvi an??nnanti, sia pure usando ?? più consueto: la saliva. ?? ha la flangia interna lun?? bordo di contatto con il ??. E' una semplificazione che ?? sul prezzo e che, consi?? il profilo facciale più liscio e più sfuggende dei giovanissimi, non costituisce un difetto. 3) prezzo veramente basso per una maschera così ben curata come la « Smeraldina »: L. 1.600. Su richiesta, la Tigullio fornisce anche un cristallo temperato, ma il prezzo complessivo, non ancora fissato, risulterà più alto. La nuova «Smeraldina» della Tigullio, più piccola della «Smeralda» di cui conserva le caratteristiche tecniche ed estetiche. Costa L. 1.400.
Rough paraphrase: "THE TIGULLIO "SMERALDINA". The new Tigullio "Smeraldina" is (designed?) especially for the younger generation. Mondo Sommerso announced when reviewing the new products of the season that it is the "younger sister" of the well-known Tigullio "Smeralda"; it retains all the latter's technical and aesthetic characteristics. Of course. it is sized to fit the facial profile of the younger generation. The differences are only three in number: 1) Tempered glass os a new material, shatterproof and quite resistent to abrasion; the actual drawback of plastic os that it is prone to fogging, requiring constant application of the more usual demisting agent: saliva. 2) Contact edge between the internal flange of the mask and the face: the smoother and more elusive facial profile of the very young is not a defect. 3) The really low price for a mask so well cared for as the «Smeraldina»: L. 1.600. Upon request, Tigullio also supplies a tempered-glass model, but the overall price, not yet fixed, will be higher. The new Tigullio "Smeraldina" is smaller than the "Smeralda", whose technical and aesthetic characteristics it retains. It costs L. 1,400.

So the Smeraldina appears to be a cut-down budget-priced version of the Smeralda for young people.

 

[David Wilson]

The Tigullio Super Smeralda also maded its début in 1966, when Mondo Sommerso published the following:

The pictures show how the mask can be fully disassembled for cleaning or parts replacement.

The following year, the same diving magazine released the following review:

Italian: "Ettore De Barbieri (a sinistra) e Umberto Boggian, i due titolari della Tigullio. Sotto: la «Super Smeralda». Super Smeralda: in questo nuovo modello il vetro viene Iegato direttamente durante lo stampaggio del telaio e forma con questo un blocco unico. Prima, invece, il telaio veniva stampato in due pezzi tra i quali era poi applicato il vetro: era necessaria una guarnizione in gomma. Si è guadagnato in tenuta, in estetica (più accentuato, più stilizzato il movimento del naso). La reggetta viene realizzata con materiale superiore. Due tipi: con reggetta a chiusura fissa e con chiusura regolabile: 4 colori: bianco, rosso, nero e giallo. L. 3.800."
Rough translation: "Ettore De Barbieri (left) and Umberto Boggian, the two owners of Tigullio. Below: the "Super Smeralda". Super Smeralda: in this new model the glass is bonded directly during the moulding of the frame and forms a single block with the latter. First, however, the frame was moulded in two pieces between which the glass was then applied: a rubber seal was required. It has gained in leakttightness, in appearance (the more accentuated, the more stylised the movement of the nose). The rim is made from superior material. Two types: one with a rim with fixed closure and one with adjustable closure: 4 colours: white, red, black and yellow. L. 3,800.

So much for the Tigullio Smeralda family of masks. At the weekend we shall continue our review of Tigullio diving masks, probably the Arlecchino and Atlantide models. Until then, keep safe and stay well.

 

[jale]

"leakttightness" really nice word

 

[David Wilson]

"leakttightness" really nice word

Indeed. Like the original Italian noun "tenuta", the English term "leaktightness" (minus my double "t" typo that is now too late to edit) neatly covers both "airtightness" and "watertightness".

And thank you, Sam, Angelo and Jale for the "likes".

Now for today's Tigullio diving masks. The Arlecchino, as you will probably have already guessed, is named after the commedia dell'arte stock character Harlequin (above). The Harlequin is characterised by his chequered costume; his role is that of a light-hearted, nimble, and tricky servant, often acting to thwart the plans of his master, and pursuing his own love interest.

This model appeared around 1968 and came in an adult and child's size. Here is the version for grown-ups:

The product name may be a nod in the direction of the contrasting colours of the mask's skirt and inner lens rim.

Here is a description of the "Arlecchino Baby" as the young person's size was known:
Italian: "ARLECCHINO BABY (Tigullio). La già affermata « Arlecchino » viene prodotta anche in versione Baby in gomma neoprene e vetro temperato, reggetta in ABS bianca, rossa, nera o gialla a scelta, oppure cromata. L. 2.200."
Rough translation: "ARLECCHINO BABY (Tigullio). The already well-established "Arlecchino" is also made in a Baby neoprene rubber and tempered glass version with an ABS rim in your choice of colour: white, red, black or yellow or chromed. L. 2.200."

Here are some auction pictures of the Tigullio Arlecchino:

And of the Arlecchino Baby:

​

 

[David Wilson]

Second Tigullio diving mask of the day is the Atlantide. "Atlantide" is Italian for "Atlantis" (Ancient Greek: Ἀτλαντὶς νῆσος, Atlantis nesos, "island of Atlas"), which is a fictional island mentioned in Plato's allegory on the hubris of nations, where it represents a naval power that besieges Ancient Athens. Athanasius Kircher's 1669 map of Atlantis above locates it in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

Some auction pictures:

There was also a "Super Atlantide":

Italian: "Super ATLANTIDE. Una nuova maschera che parte decisavamente favorita non per la sua eleganza e funzionalità ma per la tecnica perfetta con cui è stata concepita e realizzata. Volume interno trascurabile centimetri cubi 110 e non 225 come nelle altre maschere. Superficie del vetro centimetri quadrati 150 e non 125 come nelle precedenti versioni. Il cristallo è di ben 5 millimetri più vicino agli occhi delle altre maschere. Per la versione ottica sarà la maschera ideale. Prodotta in 4 colori - nero - giallo - bianco - rosso. Il corpo è in gomma 50% e in neoprene 50%. La super ATLANTIDE non è una maschera comune. E' una supermaschera.
Rough translation: "Super ATLANTIDE. A new mask that is decidedly favoured not for its elegance and functionality but for the perfect technology with which it was conceived and created. Negligible 110 cc internal volume and not 225 cc as in other masks. 150 cm² glass surface and not 125 cm² as in previous versions. The lens is 5 mm closer to the eyes than in other masks. The optical version will be the ideal mask. Made in 4 colours: black, yellow, white, red. The body is 50% rubber and 50% neoprene. The super ATLANTIDE is no ordinary mask. It is a super mask.

And there we shall leave matters for today. Tigullio's Brughella and Pulcinella diving masks next up for review some time midweek. Until then stay well and keep safe.

 

[jale]

Indeed. Like the original Italian noun "tenuta", the English term "leaktightness" (minus my double "t" typo that is now too late to edit) neatly covers both "airtightness" and "watertightness".

​

Take the double "t"as a double O-ring: it makes the "leaklooseness" more deficient