Objects Database

Snowdon Mouldings El Cap Helmet

Accession Number

1292.2015.1

Object Name

Snowdon Mouldings El Cap Helmet

Created

14/12/2015

Creator

Hermione Cooper

Accession Date

14/12/2015

Brief Description

Purple Snowdon Mouldings helmet with black nylon straps

Materials

fibre glass, nylon

Dimensions

27(L) x 23(W) x15(H) cms

Number Of Objects

1

Inscription Description

" SM CE95 UIAA APPROVED AGREE GEPRUFF EL CAP "

Colour

purple, black

Maker

Snowfon Mouldings

Object Production Place

Wales

Provenance

Snowdon Mouldings are probably best known historically for their iconic Curver Ice Axe, examples of which you will find elsewhere in the collection. They also produced the Joe Brown helmet back in the 1970's since Joe was a good pal of Mo Anthoine who owned Snowdon Mouldings - Joe might also have been a business partner.The El Cap helmet appeared around 1980 and was a disaster. Founder member of our Heritage Collection, Mick Tighe, well remembers buying six of them for his mountain guiding business, Nevis Guides. Within a few weeks three of them were wrecked so Mick phoned Mo, who was a pal, to remonstrate him. In characteristic form Mo admitted that the helmets were rubbish and the UIAA stickers fell off a truck. He also offered to buy Mick a pint next time they met, which he subsequently did.
The fine example we have here in the collection must be one of the few that haven't fallen to pieces and has survived because it was in a cupboard for 30 years having been deemed unfit for purpose. Thanks to Andy Wadsworth for getting it out of the cupboard and donating it.

Acquisition Method

Donated by Andy Wadsworth

Acquisition Date

14/12/2015

Condition Check Date

14/12/2015

Rules

Spectrum : UK Museum documentation standard, V.3.1 2007

Modified

14/12/2015

Go Back

Related Items

Curver ice axe