Bookvica

Kak nauchit’sia plavat’: Plavanie vsemi stiliami, igry na vode, spasenie utopaiushchikh [i.e. How to Swim: Swimming All Strokes, Water Plays, Rescuing Drowning Ones]

Smirnov, S.

Leningrad: Priboi, 1925. Item #1495

48 pp.: ill. 20x14 cm. In original illustrated wrappers. Very good and clean copy, covers slightly bumped, spine chipped, blank upper corners of last two leaves lost.
First and only edition. One of 10 130 copies produced.

This handbook on the common topic of “how to teach yourself how to swim” was published with an interesting photomontage cover design. Above two smiling female swimmers a man is shown in the process of jumping. The figure, certainly captured while jumping from a tower, was turned into a horizontal orientation and placed in the center of the composition. Around him are the two-color constructivist title, complementary rectangles to the left and a rather fragile-looking construction from which to jump into the water is on the right side.
The book detailed the practical and general hygiene advantages for workers of swimming. It is well-illustrated with schematic drawings of various preparatory body exercises, muscle training and swimming training itself. The manual starts with training plans for all the main swimming strokes and the rules regulating competition for various styles of swimming. The author proceeds to explain the advantages of diving and different jumps, advising students on how to dive and how to play water polo. The final chapter is dedicated to how to rescue drowning people.
Not found in Worldcat.

Price: $1,200.00