Vintage Football HelmetsVintage football helmets were first constructed close to 1910, though the first versions did not resemble what would normally be thought of as a helmet. Actually it wasn’t really a helmet, but rather a “head harness,” its main function to protect the ears, which is about all that it protected. It so hindered the in-game communications, that criticism helped to lead to a much more sophisticated, at that time, helmet.

About 1915 the leather helmet, which featured coverage of the full skull ,was considered a big improvement over the ear protective head harness. The construction material with similar, a few layers of leather, though instead of just the ears being completely covered, the entire top of the head was shielded, with now added holes in the ear flaps for much improved in-game communications.

Moving forward to the 1920s and the 1930s, football helmet manufacturing became more prominent as the market has expanded. Manufacturers use harder leathers and added cushioning to lessen the shock. This evolution of construction and materials led to helmets that much more resembled those used today; those still a far distant version. They had a rounded teardrop shape, which allowed the hit’s impact to be absorbed by the surrounding surface area, rather than just at the spot of impact.

The next biggest innovation in vintage football helmets, by far, was the introduction of plastic construction in Illinois by the John Riddell Company. That version was improved a year later in 1940 with the introduction of a face mask, also constructed of plastic, while the strap was moved to the chin from the Adam’s apple. Also in that year Logos were first painted on the helmets; the first by Fred Grhrke, who played for the Los Angeles Rams and previously was an art student.

From the original “head harness” in 1910, to the full leather skull helmet in 1915, to the multilayered leather version with better impact protection, to what was absolutely the closest in design and construction of today’s football helmets, the 1940s vintage football helmets which for the first time were constructed of plastic and included a facemask, one innovation led to another, right up until today’s football helmets that make use of innovations in the helmets worn by astronauts.

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  4. Football Mini Helmets Are the Collectable Rage of NFL Fans, and A Good Investment Too

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