LEON LYONS
Internationally respected diving
helmet authority, museum founder, author of HELMETS OF THE DEEP, and
more. If you have any real interest in
diving helmets, LEON LYONS is the man to see.
Here’s a look at the sign of THE LYONS MARITIME MUSEUM.
Leon stands outside the LYONS MARITIME MUSEUM in St.
Augustine, Florida, which he operated from
May 1990 to November 1994.
Here’s a look inside when the museum was still being set
up. I’ve tried to count all the helmets
in this view, and I think there’s close to 170 showing. More were still in boxes when this picture
was taken, as Leon’s collection includes more than 200 helmets.
Helmets on display in the Lyons’ Maritime Museum. Kind of an interesting “low volume” hardhat:
the silver one, second from the right on the top shelf. Probably a custom-made “one-off” unit.
Helmets, helmets, and more helmets. I think the one on the left end of the lower
shelf is a Korean, and I see what might be some Russian three bolts at the
extreme left of the photo, but I wouldn’t even want to try to identify all of
these. Probably safer to say, “If it
was made, it’s in Leon’s collection.”
Somebody correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe this is a
replica of the original DEANE DIVING HELMET: the first practical diving helmet
in history. Based on the smoke helmet
invented by Charles and John Dean in 1824, a version of this type intended for
use underwater was made with the assistance of Augustus Siebe.
Nice door: the watertight hatch from a ship. Just the thing for a maritime museum. Also, note the helmet to the left with a
welder’s shield on the front face plate.
Lots of variety in Leon’s collection.
Here we
see shelves filled with modern commercial diving helmets.
Helium
Hat.
The view
from Leon’s front porch.
Here’s
Leon with a few more helmets. Behind
him you see part of his extensive diving knife collection.
Three-bolt
Jake.
This is the cover of Leon’s book, HELMETS OF THE DEEP. Though very hard to come by these days, this
book is considered by many to be the definitive text on the subject.
Here’s a page from HELMETS OF THE DEEP, showing one of the
rare helmets in Leon’s collection: one of the few remaining examples of the
artwork from Walt Disney’s 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA.
Jim Boyd provided
this candid shot of Leon, taken on a recent visit to Mr. Lyons home in Florida.
Jim also
provided this shot of a friend wearing Leon’s 20,000 LEAGUES helmet.
These pictures were gleaned from the BRASS HAT DIVER
Website, and show Mr. Lyons in the process of diving his 1850 AUGUSTUS SEIBE
diving rig at MARINELAND in Florida. (You
can access the BRASS HAT DIVER WEBSITE via our LINKS page.)
Tenders
securing Leon’s helmet to the breastplate.
All suited
up and on air, Leon descends the ladder into the MARINELAND tank.
Back in the 1950’s, MARINELAND was home to the CREATURE FROM
THE BLACK LAGOON, during the filming of REVENGE OF THE CREATURE. In this scene we see Blacky La Goon
doing the Monster Mash on a shark walker, prior to making his getaway.
(BTW: the original Creature, BEN CHAPMAN, is still alive and well, living in
Hawaii. You can drop Ben a line at the-reelgillman@webtv.net )
Leon explores
the MARINELAND tank, but nope! No
creature here today.
However,
Leon was joined by his son Kimlin, wearing this MILLER-DUNN shallow water
diving helmet.
This is a cloisonné pin I found on eBay, representing a diver
in antique Siebe diving gear. I thought
it sure looks like Leon, and then I learned that he actually was the
inspiration for this item.
Here’s a
look at Leon diving yet another of his rare antique rigs: a 1910 MORSE 5-Bolt.
Here are a few more photos of Leon’s world that I’ve had in
my files and been meaning to add to this page for a while now. This one’s a view of the LYONS MARITIME
MUSEUM taken about one year before it closed.
This is right out of a diving helmet collector’s dream: helmets, vintage
hand-cranked air pumps, part of Leon’s vast collection of diver’s knives, and
nautical memorabilia galore. What can
anyone say about this, but “Wow!”
Here’s a
view of a second floor room in Leon’s penthouse on the beach in Puerto Rico.
This is the office area in Leon’s home in Florida. The
stairway leads up to the loft where some 70 helmets reside; plus 60-odd pairs
of diving boots and diver sandals, maybe one thousand pounds of weight belts
and chest weights, a few hundred depth gauges and compasses, and many more
items. This is
only a very small part of Leon’s amazing collection. Notice the marksmanship posters on the wall? Besides being a diving helmet expert, Leon
is a crack shot and has competed on several shooting teams.
Here’s a look into a converted guest room in Leon’s home,
holding approximately one hundred helmets. The water-tight door and frame is
solid stainless steel with brass moveable parts, weighs 350 pounds, and leads to
the head, where some several hundred diver's scuba and seal team knives are
hanging on the walls, plus three diving helmets on the floor, and other
goodies. The water-tight door came off a 1950’s US NAVY minesweeper that was
scrapped in Holland. Leon estimates his
knife collection at somewhere around 1300 items.
Ahhh, my favorite!
This is the absolutely perfect, polished-out SEIBE GORMAN helmet
pictured on the front cover of Leon’s famous book HELMETS OF THE DEEP. If you are a fan of fine metalwork (like I
am), this is pure eye candy. Without
any doubt whatsoever, Leon Lyons has a helmet collection anyone would envy and
everyone should see. You’ve heard of
DISNEYLAND? Welcome to DIVERLAND! J
Perhaps one day Leon will allow us to do a complete display
of his home, showing the entire collection; if my server has enough
webspace for it all, that is! J Meanwhile, keep your fingers crossed that
Mr. Lyons may open a Virtual Living Maritime Museum in the future. It will really be something to see!
Leon sent us a CD of pictures showing his museum as it
stands today. It’s such a great
collection, I hope I can do it justice.
Here’s another look into the domain of one of the most widely respected
authorities on diving helmets in the World.
What’s apparent here is that title was not bestowed without good
reason. Leon really lives it.
A
beautiful Seibe, U/W Video Housings, diver propulsion units, and other items
you might not see elsewhere.
The
Library area includes a collection of vintage militaria.
Air pumps,
all sorts of air hats, etc. If it has
to do with diving, you’ll probably find it here.
The stairs
leading up to the loft. We see vintage
SCUBA gear, and numerous awards.
A wide angle
view of Leon’s home, looking toward the loft area.
Yet
another view, as we browse around enjoying the many sights.
Looking in
another direction, we see numerous camera housings, and more.
Let’s take
a look at only a small part of the gigantic dive knife collection Leon owns.
Here we
have a display of traditional hardhat diving knives with brass scabbards.
There are
literally thousands of knives covering most of the walls.
Up in the loft,
we see just a few items in Leon’s SCUBA diving knife collection.
And of
course, everywhere we look, we find helmets of every kind.
This
beautiful MkV helium helmet stands at the foot of the stairs to the loft,
alongside commercial air hats and dive coms.
And here’s another look at one of our personal favorites:
Leon’s NAUTILUS DIVER helmet from Walt Disney’s 1954 movie version of Jules
Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
Many thanks for giving us this look at your fantastic collection, Leon!
As I’ve said before, Leon is
considered one of the (some say the) foremost authorities on diving
helmets in the World. His book, HELMETS
OF THE DEEP, is considered by many to be “the bible” when it comes to diving
helmets. Just to show you those are not
just empty words, check this out. Two
copies of Leon’s excellent out-of-print book were recently sold on eBay for
nothing less than $3,720.00 and $4,615.30 USD each. As I see it, that says a lot about how people in the diving
helmet community respect Leon’s status as an authority on the subject. Talk is cheap, but when people vote with
their wallets, that’s really saying something.
Below I’ve pasted the cells from both auctions. I’ve removed the hyperlinks that contain information about the bidders, the winner’s identity, and so on: for the sake of preserving their privacy.
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Now, $8,300 for two books is a respectable chunk of change
any way you slice it. And I know there
are people out there who, as soon as they see somebody score big time like
this, decide they want to jump on the bandwagon and do the same thing
themselves. To them I say, “Don’t waste
your time. It aint gonna happen.”
Leon’s recognized as the premier exponent in this field: that makes his work
valuable as a collectible. Subsequent
knock-offs by other’s attempting to copy what Leon has achieved will not receive
the same respect.
I’ve seen guys try to paint like Picasso, but Pablo is the
one whose works sell for the big duckets.
There are many who try to play the guitar in the style of Carlos
Santana; but he’s the one raking in the big bucks. Likewise, many have made and sold scale models of the Disney
NAUTILUS, but Tom Scherman was the first to achieve real recognition in that
genre, and that’s why his works are priceless today. That’s just how it is, folks; and maybe that’s what the Mona Lisa
is smiling about. J
And so it is with this work by Leon G. Lyons, HELMETS OF THE
DEEP. Get one if you can; it’s a good
investment because the value is certain to appreciate with the passage of time.
Well, the last couple days have been good for HELMETS OF THE
DEEP fans. Here’s another sale on eBay
that just closed at $5,747.99 USD for a single edition. A gent in Massachusettes was the seller: he
describes HOTD as “The most complete book of diving helmets in the world.” Apparently, people agree: there were 15 bids
altogether. Here’s the auction cel
with personal information hyperlinks removed to protect participant privacy.
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Like I said, if you have a copy of Leon’s book, you have a
great investment. That’s a fact. And it confirms what I’ve been saying all
along: “If you have an interest in diving helmets, Leon Lyons is the man to
see.”
Tuesday, March 27, 2007:
By popular demand, Leon Lyons is in the process of publishing an
expanded reprint of HELMETS OF THE DEEP, expected to be on sale in the first
quarter of 2008. The book is expected
to sell out early, and reservations are highly recommended. To order a copy, you may submit your request
and contact information to the following email address. I’ll forward it to Leon, and he’ll contact
you.
helmetsofthedeep@vulcaniasubmarine.com
NEW!
AUGUST 01, 2007: Underwater photographer
DAVID HAAS recently provided us with a CD of images he took during a visit to
the Lyons’ Maritime Museum. I wish I
had the time and space to show them all to you, but here are a few I thought
were interesting.
Here’s a
panoramic look at the knife collection area.
And a
great wide angle view of the museum as you’re looking towards the stairway to
the loft.
So much of
Leon’s collection is esoteric vintage equipment: like these U/W camera
housings.
Could you
identify this helmet? The plate says
SEIBE GORMAN, but I’ve never seen one quite like it.
Here’s a vintage pneumatic spear gun, similar to the one
used in the original CREATURE FROM THE BLACK LAGOON movie. Looking at the basic design, one could
wonder if this mightn’t have been part of the inspiration for the underwater
rifles seen in Disney’s 20,000 LEAGUES UNER THE SEA. Same basic configuration; fairly characteristic of 1950’s design.
Okay, ya talk about interesting helmets. That one bottom center with the dual hoses
is a DESCO I’ve never seen before. I
see a few Joe Savoie’s; and that “Rocketman” looking hat on the top left is new
to me altogether.