Vintage AMF Swimaster Full view Mask

[Sarah deMelo]

I found an old AMF Swimaster full view mask at a yard sale and I thought it was a great vintage mask so I bought it. I’m trying now to find out information about its history (when it was made,etc). I found some information about AMF but that’s about it. Anyone have any additional info? I’m new to this forum.

 

[Sam Miller III]

Introduced in 1971 by Swimaster

Swimaster
1971 No page #
Full View mask
Part # 2M45
Price $20.00

Company had several names
Voit
Swimaster
AMF Voit
AMF Swimaster.
etc

Sam Miller,III

 

[Sarah deMelo]

Introduced in 1971 by Swimaster

Swimaster
1971 No page #
Full View mask
Part # 2M45
Price $20.00

Company had several names
Voit
Swimaster
AMF Voit
AMF Swimaster.
etc

Sam Miller,III

Wow! Thank you! I didn’t expect that much information so quickly!

 

[Sarah deMelo]

I bought it for $2

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Sarah deMelo

Time flies when you are having fun !
1971 when that mask was first produced was 48 years ago == almost one half a century ago.
Reviewing your Information page it is noted that the mask is a number of years older that you

Many years ago when Skin Diver magazine was THE publication and the authority of recreational diving the editors did a series of reader surveys every 5 years for 25 years. The surveys disclosed that a diving generation was at that time about 2 years nine months, with the passage of time and the slow but steady increase in recreational diving a generation is possibly 3 years, Therefore your mask is many generations old possibly as many as 15 or more generations and if an recognized antique generation is 25 years it is a "double antique ."

Seral years ago I completed my research on recreational diving migration and did a lecture series titled "Way before Amazon - Sears, Wards and Pennys" Recreational diving began on the west coast in the 1920s, became popular in the 1930s and was well entrenched by the 1940s.

In December 1951 Skin Diver Magazine was published in California and via it distributing the word diving slowly spread from the west coast to the hinterlands of the US. In 1956 Sears recognized a market and devoted a portion to ther spring catalog to dive equipment, in 1958 Wards issued there dive catalog, but Pennys did no join in until 1974 .

Therefore I suspect that your mask is a true east coast dive antique that is to be treasured, But on special occasions maybe even taken off the shelf and dove

Good luck and good diving !

Sam Miller, 111
PS
I was curious about your name- so I read and responded to your post
If you want to read my background google Dr. Sam Miller scuba (etc_)
sdm

 

[Sarah deMelo]

Dr Miller, I read your background and I am thoroughly impressed and grateful for your contributions to this life changing sport! My interest in the evolution of dive gear has truly been peaked. Is there any of your research or publications available to read? Also, is there any other books or publications you would recommend? I am a member of a dive club that has been around since 1959 (Old Colony Amphibians) and often hear from our long term members that they do not see many “younger” diver that stick to the sport longer term, hence your comment regarding short generation years. I am lucky that my husband and one of my sons (so far) are certified and we have made it a family sport. What you won’t find in my background on here is my passion for the ocean and specifically conservation. I spend a lot of my free time (when not working or diving), doing sea turtle rescue/rehabilitation and marine mammal necropsies with the New England Aquarium or NOAA surveys off the coasts of New England.

All advice is welcomed!

Sarah deMelo

@Sarah deMelo

Time flies when you are having fun !
1971 when that mask was first produced was 48 years ago == almost one half a century ago.
Reviewing your Information page it is noted that the mask is a number of years older that you

Many years ago when Skin Diver magazine was THE publication and the authority of recreational diving the editors did a series of reader surveys every 5 years for 25 years. The surveys disclosed that a diving generation was at that time about 2 years nine months, with the passage of time and the slow but steady increase in recreational diving a generation is possibly 3 years, Therefore your mask is many generations old possibly as many as 15 or more generations and if an recognized antique generation is 25 years it is a "double antique ."

Seral years ago I completed my research on recreational diving migration and did a lecture series titled "Way before Amazon - Sears, Wards and Pennys" Recreational diving began on the west coast in the 1920s, became popular in the 1930s and was well entrenched by the 1940s.

In December 1951 Skin Diver Magazine was published in California and via it distributing the word diving slowly spread from the west coast to the hinterlands of the US. In 1956 Sears recognized a market and devoted a portion to ther spring catalog to dive equipment, in 1958 Wards issued there dive catalog, but Pennys did no join in until 1974 .

Therefore I suspect that your mask is a true east coast dive antique that is to be treasured, But on special occasions maybe even taken off the shelf and dove

Good luck and good diving !

Sam Miller, 111
PS
I was curious about your name- so I read and responded to your post
If you want to read my background google Dr. Sam Miller scuba (etc_)
sdm

 

[Sam Miller III]

@Sarah de Melo

Number one rule
You. I and every one else on this board are just a bunch of "lousy divers !" Nothing more, nothing less'
Some have egos that require titles - Please not me ! I am Sam,

2. I have had four dedicated dive magazine columns and the first news paper dive column in the US.. I published my first article in 1962, gosh! almost 60 years ago a big 2 part article on diving for Jade in California. My next article was also a 2 part article on the dive flag which will be published on this board with restrictions on reproduction in the near future - I some how suspect we can arrange for your club to reproduce the article

For a few of my articles may I suggest that you search this board recall a few titles that have been published on this board are:
A) "You can't go home again"
A historical article about diving 70 years ago prior to Cousteau's Aqua Lung, exposure suits etc

B) "The Mask"
There were no suitable masks so Charley Sturgil made them for friends and member of the club Southern California Skin Divers- I am the only surving member of the club and only three Sturgil masks have survived the passage of so many years and dives

C) Orange County Did you know ?
In the beginning most diving manufacturing was I OC - The article list a number of the long gone and often forgotten companies

D) Sea Sabres Signaling System
An article about the origins and the man who gave us the UW signaling

3) it also suggested that you check out www.portagequarry.com "legends of diving" Several of my articles are contained there plus articles and bios of many now deceased Legends of diving

Hope this helps

4) Now your name de Melo -I have an interest in names and genealogy origin ? French, Spanish ?

Stay in touch
SAM

 

[David Wilson]

Just to add a smidgeon to what Sam has already said about this mask, this is how the AMF Swimaster Full View appeared in the 1971 catalogue:

and this is how the same model appeared in the 1979 catalogue:

I don't have access to any later catalogues that would show how much longer the mask's shelf-life was. "AMF" stands for "American Machine and Foundry" and there's more at American Machine and Foundry - Wikipedia. Swimaster was one of the five original United States diving equipment manufacturers: U.S. Divers, Healthways, Voit, Dacor, and Swimaster. The 1955 edition of the Carriers' seminal work Dive has an appendix listing the gear made by these companies back then.

As for the "wraparound" design of your mask, there are models made by other manufacturers that predate it. For example, here's one from the 1960 US Divers catalogue:

The nose pocket on your mask goes even further back to the early 1950s in the case of the Cressi Pinocchio mask worn below by its inventor Luigi Ferraro:

 

[Sarah deMelo]

Thank you so much! This is great!!

Sarah

Just to add a smidgeon to what Sam has already said about this mask, this is how the AMF Swimaster Full View appeared in the 1971 catalogue:
View attachment 532380
and this is how the same model appeared in the 1979 catalogue:
View attachment 532381
I don't have access to any later catalogues that would show how much longer the mask's shelf-life was. "AMF" stands for "American Machine and Foundry" and there's more at American Machine and Foundry - Wikipedia. Swimaster was one of the five original United States diving equipment manufacturers: U.S. Divers, Healthways, Voit, Dacor, and Swimaster. The 1955 edition of the Carriers' seminal work Dive has an appendix listing the gear made by these companies back then.

As for the "wraparound" design of your mask, there are models made by other manufacturers that predate it. For example, here's one from the 1960 US Divers catalogue:
View attachment 532383
The nose pocket on your mask goes even further back to the early 1950s in the case of the Cressi Pinocchio mask worn below by its inventor Luigi Ferraro:
View attachment 532384

Th

 

[Sarah deMelo]

de Melo is my married name and my husband’s family is Portuguese from San Miguel, Azores. My maiden name is Trahan which is believe is French and my father’s family is from Quebec, Canada.

Thanks for the articles! I will start digging!

Take care, Sarah

@Sarah de Melo

Number one rule
You. I and every one else on this board are just a bunch of "lousy divers !" Nothing more, nothing less'
Some have egos that require titles - Please not me ! I am Sam,

2. I have had four dedicated dive magazine columns and the first news paper dive column in the US.. I published my first article in 1962, gosh! almost 60 years ago a big 2 part article on diving for Jade in California. My next article was also a 2 part article on the dive flag which will be published on this board with restrictions on reproduction in the near future - I some how suspect we can arrange for your club to reproduce the article

For a few of my articles may I suggest that you search this board recall a few titles that have been published on this board are:
A) "You can't go home again"
A historical article about diving 70 years ago prior to Cousteau's Aqua Lung, exposure suits etc

B) "The Mask"
There were no suitable masks so Charley Sturgil made them for friends and member of the club Southern California Skin Divers- I am the only surving member of the club and only three Sturgil masks have survived the passage of so many years and dives

C) Orange County Did you know ?
In the beginning most diving manufacturing was I OC - The article list a number of the long gone and often forgotten companies

D) Sea Sabres Signaling System
An article about the origins and the man who gave us the UW signaling

3) it also suggested that you check out www.portagequarry.com "legends of diving" Several of my articles are contained there plus articles and bios of many now deceased Legends of diving

Hope this helps

4) Now your name de Melo -I have an interest in names and genealogy origin ? French, Spanish ?

Stay in touch
SAM

@Sarah de Melo

Number one rule
You. I and every one else on this board are just a bunch of "lousy divers !" Nothing more, nothing less'
Some have egos that require titles - Please not me ! I am Sam,

2. I have had four dedicated dive magazine columns and the first news paper dive column in the US.. I published my first article in 1962, gosh! almost 60 years ago a big 2 part article on diving for Jade in California. My next article was also a 2 part article on the dive flag which will be published on this board with restrictions on reproduction in the near future - I some how suspect we can arrange for your club to reproduce the article

For a few of my articles may I suggest that you search this board recall a few titles that have been published on this board are:
A) "You can't go home again"
A historical article about diving 70 years ago prior to Cousteau's Aqua Lung, exposure suits etc

B) "The Mask"
There were no suitable masks so Charley Sturgil made them for friends and member of the club Southern California Skin Divers- I am the only surving member of the club and only three Sturgil masks have survived the passage of so many years and dives

C) Orange County Did you know ?
In the beginning most diving manufacturing was I OC - The article list a number of the long gone and often forgotten companies

D) Sea Sabres Signaling System
An article about the origins and the man who gave us the UW signaling

3) it also suggested that you check out www.portagequarry.com "legends of diving" Several of my articles are contained there plus articles and bios of many now deceased Legends of diving

Hope this helps

4) Now your name de Melo -I have an interest in names and genealogy origin ? French, Spanish ?

Stay in touch
SAM