Greek Man Makes Impressive Diving Helmets in Florida. Nicholas Toth, grandson of Anthony Lerios, owns a diving helmet shop in Florida, on a seaside street filled with Greek taverns. The unique helmets he sells are handmade by him and are considered works of art by many. The shop originally belonged to his grandfather who was born on the Greek island of Kalymnos and was raised in Turkey. In the early 1900s, Anthony Lerios was part of a large Greek immigrant wave. He moved to Florida in search of a better life. Coming from Kalymnos, an island famous for sponge diving, and having some experience on the matter, Lerios began making helmets for sponge divers. He handcrafted all of them and has even been credited with making some improvements on the traditional design by adjusting the helmets glass for better viewing angles and moving the exhaust valve so that air could be released more easily. “He came up with simple solutions to complex problems,” Toth said. Growing up with his grandfather, Nicholas Toth learned the skill of making diving helmets. He took over the shop and started working hard. At present, he is one of the few remaining crafters who continue the tradition of making diving helmets. Most divers prefer newer and lighter equipment. But Toth’s unique craft continues to exist because his helmets are sold to collectors for more than 20,000 dollars per piece, as many view them as works of art. In addition, one of his helmets has been added to the permanent exhibition at the Museum of Florida History in Tallahassee. ΠΗΓΗ: usa.greekreporter
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 05:58:35 +0000
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