Nauticalia first opened its doors in 1974. The founders were Lynn Lewis, a former BBC television reporter, and his wife Val, a journalist.
it became clear that there were not enough antiques to meet demand, particularly for the substantial maritime décor items that so attracted their consumers. The following day, six people responded to an advertisement in the local newspaper for a 19th-century diver’s helmet, but there was only one left! Lynn ordered a batch of ten meticulous duplicates from a specialised metal works to fix the issue, and this was the beginning of Nauticalia’s renowned line of replica boating and maritime memorabilia.