Cousteau's first book

[eskimo3883]

Cousteau's first book "Par 18 mètres de fond" (10 Fathoms Down) was published in 1946 around the time of his short film of the same name. I have a copy of it in a paper-back like cover and a near identical version in hard-back. The hard back says each book is numbered with a total of 2000 copies. Does anyone know how many copies were produced with the soft cover?

[VINTAGESCUBA]

I have the soft copy also.On the third page with printing,it says.I think 1 of 2.000 of the original were printed.I don't know if they mean the hardback or this copy.I also just received in the mail yesterday Cousteau's second book.It is much rarer and harder to come by than the first.It has some scuba in it LA PLONGEE EN SCAPHANDRE 1949 in french only.I just gave an extra U.S. copy of this book to a friend.Also a hard to find book the Complete Manual of Free Diving 1957.I been waiting years to get his second book.I found one in France at a great price $118 with shipping.I have seen this book only a few times,each time selling for over $400.I can now stop looking.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... tsupported

[eskimo3883]

If I translated the french correctly the 2000 copies refered only to the hard cover. However, maybe someone else could weigh in on this.

I had for some reason thought the english version of LA PLONGEE EN SCAPHANDRE entered the USA a few years later as "The Complete Manual of Free Diving" but I have been way off track. Can you tell me the title of the English version of LA PLONGEE EN SCAPHANDRE?

[VINTAGESCUBA]

You are correct.Sorry for any confusion.That's the book I gave to a friend.The U.S. version the Complete Manual of Free Diving 1957.There was also another French version that came out in 1961 called,Marine National La Plongee.It has some cool pics in it.Different than the other two. A nice book.

[eskimo3883]

In the June EBay listing of "LA PLONGEE EN SCAPHANDRE" I was thinking it may have shown at least a few photos that were not in the English translation from 1957. Does your 1947 French version have unique photos?

I mentioned this a while back but in terms of early G.E.R.S. photos I highly recommend a copy of "La Plongee Autonome" by Claude Robinet and Luc Guillou. The preface is written by Philippe Tailliez. Most pages are half text and half pics so not a lot of reading is necessary to enjoy the book. Although written in French the last 11 pages translate the entire text of the book into English. I only speak enough French to ask for a glass of water yet I managed to buy my copy off the French version of Amazon.com and paying using my USA Amazon account.

I originally saw the book on Eric’s excellent web page where there is a cover shot:
http://frogmanmuseum.free.fr/html/regul ... iqueen.htm

[VINTAGESCUBA]

The La Plongee En Scaphandre is nothing special.It has one page showing some old dive googles and masks and one page showing four divers underwater wearing thriples but far off.The others pics are lame.The best book with the most and best pics is the second french version.Marine National La Plongee 1961.I think there are two for sale on ebay France.They can be had cheap.Many cool pics.

[VINTAGESCUBA]

The La Plongee En Scaphandre is nothing special.It has one page showing some old dive googles and masks and one page showing four divers underwater wearing triples but far off.The others pics are lame.The best book with the most and best pics is the second french version.Marine National La Plongee 1961.I think there are two for sale on ebay France.They can be had cheap.Many cool pics.

[eskimo3883]

I have a copy of the 1961 book. They seem to go pretty cheap on France Ebay as long as they put them on a slow boat with cheap postqage. However, you have to love a dive book printed in the 1940's.

[VINTAGESCUBA]

Yes,there isn't a whole lot from the 30's or 40's.I have some mostly spearfishing and some with rebreathers. Like Hans Hass books and a couple showing scuba.The french had early books on diving first I think.A few other countries like Germany and Italy.