 The 1885 engraving
of the Flapping Bird
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The history of
paperfolding is a fascinating one. This page links to a brief Timeline
of Origami History and other pages collecting
together more detailed historical information about the
main historical sources, individual designs and
wider themes. There is also a bibliography of the
published designs of Robert E Neale.
Objects
made of paper are ephemeral and the record we
have of them at an early date relies largely on
their chance survival or appearance in poetry,
books, fabrics, drawings and paintings. It is
likely that many practical and recreational
paperfolds are much older than the earliest
evidence for their existence. Unfortunately, of
course, we cannot know, even approximately, how
much older they might actually be.
While I have long been
interested in paperfolding history there are many
paperfolders who know much more about the subject
than I do and these notes should be seen as a
starting point for further research and not as a
comprehensive guide. I have, however, tried to
make them as accurate as possible by basing them
on verifiable sources rather than myth or
imagination.
If you find any errors or
inaccuracies in these notes, or are aware of
important information, particularly early
information, that I have overlooked, please let
me know. At present information from the Main
Sources has only been completely carried over
into the relevant pages in the other two columns
up until 1928.
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