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Post by vintagefrank on Oct 9, 2014 10:09:05 GMT -8
Hi out there,
is there anyone who is familiar with the history of Mares? Any Collector of Catalogs, Manuals etc? Would be glad to find some more informations.
Thanks in advance
Frank
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Post by regulator68bj on Oct 9, 2014 14:36:03 GMT -8
Hi Frank, I wrote to "Mares" some months ago and their history is thin on the sea but saying that I am willing to send what info I have to date in the form of adds and sources from other locations. Have tried to upload sample here but attachments states ERROR!!
litremeter@talktalk.net
john |
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Post by Linda on Oct 9, 2014 15:05:54 GMT -8
The allowable space we have for attaching photos is full up. You can still add photos to your posts, but you have to host them elsewhere, like Photobucket. Sorry about that.
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Post by nikeajax on Oct 9, 2014 17:56:44 GMT -8
I found this info on Wikipedia:
Mares is a manufacturer of scuba equipment. Founded in 1949 by Ludovico Mares in Rapallo, Italy, the company initially made diving masks and spearguns. It has since expanded to become one of the largest scuba manufacturers, having merged with US manufacturer Dacor.
Products
The Mares product range includes the following products in the categories separated by the company itself:
Diving Regulators and Octopus - Both first stage and second stage regulators
Dive computers
Instruments - Mares produces compasses, pressure gauges, Personal computer interfaces for their dive computers and watches
B.C.D.s
Diving Wear = Their diving wear include Wetsuits, Drysuits and Rash guards
Fins
Diving masks and Snorkels
Accessories - Their accessories line includes dive torches, knives, Surface marker buoys, diving sportswear, bags, weight belts, hangers, dry boxes etc.
I know they also gobbled up Voit...
Jaybird
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Post by regulator68bj on Oct 10, 2014 6:15:32 GMT -8
Thanks Linda ,Will get organized with photo source.
john |
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Post by DavidRitchieWilson on Oct 10, 2014 8:19:14 GMT -8
I bought a pair of Mares Sea King fins when I visited Italy during the 1970s and fancied doing some snorkelling during my trip. They were a little on the narrow side, but they were otherwise excellent fins that the local population liked to use as well. Mares sent the fin moulds to Turkey where Sea Kings were reincarnated as "Süper Jets":   I'll write more later, but here's a link to a Mares catalogue, possibly from the 1960s, in PDF format for free download: www.sukellusmuseo.fi/esitteet/mares_sub.pdf |
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Post by nikeajax on Oct 10, 2014 9:22:10 GMT -8
David, thanks for mentioning that Sea King was Mares: this is from the Montgomery Wards 1965 catalog:  Jaybird |
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Post by regulator68bj on Oct 10, 2014 10:46:22 GMT -8
Great to see the 1960's catalogue David, thanks for posting
john |
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Post by DavidRitchieWilson on Oct 10, 2014 11:38:47 GMT -8
That's a wonderfully illustrated ad, Jaybird. Thank you! And thanks for the acknowledgement, John. Imports of Mares Sea Kings to the UK seem to have started in the early 1960s. Below is the fins page of a 1970s version of Mares' catalogue:  Note as well as the Sea Kings the Concorde longblade fins, the GTX fins with longer blades than the Sea Kings and Mares' answer to the Jet Fin. All great fins. However, at some point on the 1970s, Mares started production of plastic-bladed fins, marking the end of the vintage era in diving gear, because they eventually abandoned rubber fins altogether. I posted a link to a Mares catalogue in my first message. Here's a link to a different, earlier, Mares catalogue, featuring the company's vintage-style drysuit as well as their range of basic and scuba gear: www.sukellusmuseo.fi/esitteet/opto_mares.pdfBy the way, on a general point, there's access to an impressive collection of European diving catalogues (e.g. Siebe-Gorman, Pirelli, Tauchtechnik, Cavalero etc) from the following page on this Finnish website: www.sukellusmuseo.fi/esitteet.html |
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Post by nikeajax on Oct 10, 2014 13:07:18 GMT -8
Gosh this Swedish Scuba Pro catalog is one the more strange ones I've seen: www.sukellusmuseo.fi/esitteet/scubapro_75.pdfI especially liked the guy in the "wetsuit" pasted into the image ice field, "We don't need no stinkin' drysuit!" Perhaps the reason he's just staring blankly into space is he's dreading getting into the water, "Dang, the things I do for money!" Jaybird |
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Post by SeaRat on Oct 10, 2014 14:31:00 GMT -8
Jaybird,
I hate to tell you this, but that is a dry suit shown withthe buy on the image ice field.
Now, what is that regulator on the bottom of page 20, the UTVECKLING -- FORSKNING? I have never seen that one before.
John
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Post by sitkadiver on Oct 10, 2014 16:20:17 GMT -8
Not sure if this helps with learning about the history of Mares, but Mares is now owned by the HEAD co. of Austria. Both HEAD and Mares claim they aquired Dacor in 1997. Which leads me to believe that Mares has been owned by HEAD for at least that long.
Mares, as many a vintage diver knows, is the the company that bought Voit/Swim master in the 70's.
I know that today, trying to get Mares diaphragms for an MR-12 is sometimes a challenge. Which leads me to think that HEAD is more concerned with sports apparell and tennis rackets.
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Post by regulator68bj on Oct 11, 2014 9:55:55 GMT -8
Many thanks David for the "Finnish links, many a question can be answered.
John Ref to that regulator on page twenty via "Scubapro" Intel, it was a "Concept" unit MKV111 never marketed,
john |
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Post by SeaRat on Oct 11, 2014 10:02:37 GMT -8
John, was that concept regulator the first Scubapro attempt at a pilot valve, proceeding the Scuabpro Pilot regulator?
John
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Post by vintagefrank on Oct 11, 2014 11:05:01 GMT -8
The displayed Regulator in that swedish catalog appears in the german 74 catalog as Mark 8 second stage. The italian 74 catalog names it PVB. It could be indeed declared to be a predecessor of the Pilot. But None remembers this reg and it is not sure if it was ever built. Patent can be found online for this unusual and - as i think - very good designed second stage.
Frank
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