There is nothing wrong with buying a reproduction dive helmet for display, as long as you KNOW you're doing it. How do you spot them? At the prices commanded by a real dive helmet today, it is very worthwhile for unscrupulous people to manufacture them with cheap, if talented, labor and sell them online.  Other people have acquired a fake helmet unwittingly, and are just trying to sell it off with or without knowing it.

Experience is your only ally. You must first look at as many helmets as you can, off Ebay, to gain the visual record of what looks right and what doesn't. Nothing is more frustrating than paying for the real thing and getting a dud (unless it's trying to get your money back from the seller!). To spot a fake or misrepresented helmet, I use the following clues:

The first thing I look at is the color and texture of the metal. There is a patina to a real helmet that just is not the same in a faked one, because of the quality of the materials used in construction. Fakes have a dull, almost painted-on look to them, without the deep gloss associated with good quality brass or copper, even if it's tarnished.

Next is the general shape of the helmet and the fittings. Fake helmets have thick window guards with rough edges that are so crowded together they would be hard to see through when wearing the helmet. The parts look cheap, and are poorly soldered to the helmet, and are incorrectly positioned. Fakes also have an overall squat shape compared to the more streamlined shape of a real helmet. Mark V's are heavy, coming in at almost exactly 58 pounds. Any Mark V significantly heavier or lighter is probably bogus, unless there are obvious modifications.

Name plates are often a dead giveaway, having a date but no serial number. A serial number should be stamped on all major parts of the helmet, although they may not all necessarily match. If the helmet is beat up but the nameplate looks new, it is probably not real. The lettering should be neat, uniform, and well executed. Uneven lettering is a hallmark of a fake.

Photos inside the helmet should reveal air vents going to each window of the helmet, to keep them from fogging. It is rare in fakes. Also, if there are bolts projecting inward from the neck ring, it is an obvious reproduction. On the back of the helmet is a safety lock that is hinged on the helmet and swings downward to rest between two catches on the breastplate. In reproductions, these seldom line up. Also, some helmets are obvious reproductions, but have real parts added to try and fool the buyer. Remember to build up a visual record!

The seller, if honest or knowledgable, will position the helmet as a reproduction. Some dealers give a very long winded description that includes the history of diving for the last 2 centuries, then in fine print they'll say "repro" somewhere, or better yet, "not sold as an antique"! This implies they know exactly what they're doing. Even a very good reproduction is worth much less than $1000, in my opinion.

If the helmet is real but inexpensive, ask about its condition in great detail. Is the glass intact, has it been replaced? Do the valves work? Are all parts intact, have any been replaced? A helmet with dents is fine, as long as they don't go right through the metal. Matching serial numbers are great bragging rights, but mismatched numbers are not really a big deal, as dive outfits usually had more than one helmet, and they commonly got mixed up while in service. Mark V parts are easy to come by, but other makes are difficult to find parts for. The Diving Heritage and Nautiek websites can find parts for many European helmets.

Most Russian, Korean, and Chinese helmets currently for sale on Ebay are genuine, but generally are worth much less than a USN Mark V helmet. They are worth around $800 -$1500, give or take, because they are so common. I'm no expert on these, but can still spot a fake most of the time. Any Siebe Gorman, Yokohama, Miller-Dunn, or Mark V in decent shape should be selling for at least $4000 +. If the price seems too low, it's for a good reason.

There are many other things I could mention, but others with more experience have done a better job. There are 4 links on my "About Me" page (http://members.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewUserPage&userid=mad-marc) that will provide you with an excellent education on what differentiates real helmets from their poorer cousins. 

An excellent reference book is Leon Lyon's "Helmets of the Deep", which has photos of most helmets ever made, but it is now prohibitively expensive, selling on Ebay for up to $3000-$4000 a copy, although lately, they are getting cheaper. Mark V blueprints can be acquired from Atlantic Diving, for a reasonable cost. Before buying, look at as many helmets as you can, and if you're not sure about one, let it go. There will always be another!

If you enjoyed this guide, please cast a vote, thank you! Marc.