Which was the very first scuba mask?

[Subcooled]

Thank you very much
Perhaps finding the right material that allows good equalization of the ears

You do not need a mask for that. Just hold your nose and equalize. Sealing of the mask is important though.

 

[Dark Wolf]

I saw this the other day. I have not had a chance to check the validity, but found it interesting.

DW

 

[Popgun Pete]

Although there is a long history of eye-cup googles for diving using polished turtle shell lenses, the advent of larger diving goggles requires clear glass to make much bigger lenses. Glass making goes back thousands of years, however clear glass requires the addition of certain manganese oxides and whenever that occurred I think its use in diving goggles may have followed not long after, particularly for red coral collecting to make jewellery.

Once window glass has optical properties (you can see through it without any distortion), the way is open to make "lenses" as in viewing ports.

 

[АлександрД]

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I saw this the other day. I have not had a chance to check the validity, but found it interesting.
DW

First Japanese diving mask (1918) "near-fullface" mask