Swimming / Prototypes / Louis de Corlieu - Lot 179

Swimming / Prototypes / Louis de Corlieu 2 pairs of rubber fins: one pair of hand fins and one pair of foot fins, attributed to the production of Commander DE CORLIEU “Cured” rubber; condition and state of preservation consistent with the material and age On each of the four fins, a partially legible stamp reads: “Swimming-… / De Corlieu” Dimensions of hand fins: 28 x 20 cm; foot fins: 34 x 22 cm A rare artifact from the early days of modern swimming and the research of Louis de Corlieu, a naval officer and inventor who pioneered “swimming and rescue propulsion devices,” the direct predecessors of modern fins. The literature notes that he had his designs patented and tested before their commercial release, notably on the American market starting in 1940 under the name “swim-fins.” Other prototype fins are preserved at the Frédéric Dumas Museum (History of Scuba Diving). Enclosed are: documentation, including a newspaper article and a small advertising insert for swimming accessories from “L. DE CORLIEU, 48 rue de Rivoli.”