Origami Heaven

A paperfolding paradise

The website of writer and paperfolding designer David Mitchell

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The 1885 engraving of the Flapping Bird

  This page gives access to those books and magazine articles etc which are the main sources of information for the history of paper folding.

There is also a link below to a list of other sources that I have consulted or searched which may, or may not, have yielded useful references to paper folding.

Other sources, such as paintings, cartoons etc are specified in the themes or specific designs / games / novelties / effects pages.

Where entries are marked '(incomplete information)' I have been unable to access a hard copy of the work or find a full copy on-line. If anyone can help fill in the missing information I will be extremely grateful. I will also be grateful to anyone who can supply details of any other important sources I may have overlooked.

At present information from the sources listed below has only been completely carried over into the relevant themes or specific designs / games / novelties / effects pages up until 1928.

Sources relating to the Japanese paperfolding tradition are marked with pink squares for ease of identification.

 
 
 
Other Sources Consulted / Searched
 
 
 
  De Viribus Quantitatis by Luca Pacioli, 1502     Manual Teorico-Practico de Educacion Parvulos by D Pedro de Alcantara Garcia, 1879     Paper Magic by Will Blyth, 1920
                     
  'Magiae Naturalis' by Giambattista della Porta, 1584     Les Récréations Scientifiques by Gaston Tissandier, 1880 and 1883     Houdini's Paper Magic, 1922
                     
  Trattato delle piegature by Mattia Giegher, 1629     Un million de jeux et de plaisirs by T de Moulidars, 1880     More Paper Magic by Will Blyth, 1923
                     
  Deliciae physico mathematicae by Daniel Schwenter, 1636     The Boy's Own Book (Revised Edition), 1880     Joujoux en Papier by Tom Tit, 1924
                     
  Deliciae physico mathematicae Volume 2 by Georg Phillip Harsdorffer, 1651     The Kindergarten Principle by Mary J Lyschinska, 1880     Papiergestaltung by Paul Engelhardt and Adolf Lillack, 1926 (incomplete information)
                     
  Vollständiges und von neuem vermehrtes Trincir-Buch by Georg Philipp Harsdörffer, 1652     Het Vlechten by Elise Van Calcar, 1881     Ein Lustiges Faltbuchlein by Johanna Huber, 1927 (incomplete information)
                     
  Deliciae physico mathematicae Volume 3 by Georg Phillip Harsdorffer, 1653     Part 2 of The Kindergarten Guide by Maria Kraus Boelte and John Kraus, 1882     Fun with Paper Folding by Murray and Rigney, 1928
                     
  Trenchier-und Plicatur-Büchlein by Andreas Klett, 1657 (incomplete information)     Cassell's Complete Book of Sports and Pastimes, 1882     Article in Popular Mechanics magazine, 1928
                     
  Onna Chohoki, 1692 (and 1847)     Popular Scientific Recreations, 1882/3     Article in Modern Mechanix magazine, 1929
                     
  Origata Tehon of Kikuchi Fujiwara no Takehide, 1697     Jeux et Jouet du Jeune Age by Gaston Tissandier, 1884     Origami Part 1 by Isao Honda, 1931
                     
  Récréations mathématiques et physiques by Jacques Ozanam, 1723     Les Cocottes de Mon Grand-Pere by Alfred Delvau, 1884     Origami Part 2 by Isao Honda, 1932 (incomplete information)
                     
  Enganos a Ojos Vistas, Y Diversion de Trabajos by Pablo Minguet E Irol, 1733     Kindergarten Shoho by Iijima Hanjuro, 1885     Winter Nights Entertainments by R M Abraham, 1932
                     
  I Giochi Numerici Fatti Arcani by Giuseppe Antonio Alberti, 1747     Theoretisches und praktisches Handbuch der Fröbelschen Erziehungslehre by Bertha von Marentholtz-Bülow, 1887 (incomplete information)     Images A Plier by M R Chasles, 1932
                     
  Die Zehenmal Hundert und Eine Kunst by Albrecht Ernst Friedrich von Crailsheim, 1762     Scientific Amusements by Henry Frith, 1890     Diversions and Pastimes by R M Abraham, 1933
                     
  Hoketsuki by Sadatake Ise, 1764     The Boy's Own Book of Indoor Games and Recreations by G A Hutchinson, 1890     Paper Toy Making by Margaret Campbell, 1936
                     
  The Senbazuru Orikata, 1797     Serviettes and How to Fold Them, 1890     Fun with Paper by Joseph Leeming, 1939 (incomplete information)
                     
  Orikata Tehon Chushingura, 1797     La Science Amusante by Tom Tit, 1890-1893     El Mundo de Papel by Nemesio Montero, 1939
                     
  The Boy's Own Book by William Clarke, 1828     Pleasant Work for Busy Fingers by Maggie Browne, 1891     At Home Tonight by Herbert McKay, 1940
                     
  The Girl's Own Book by Lydia Maria Child, 1833     Paper Folding and Cutting by Katherine M Ball, 1892     After The Dessert by Martin Gardner, 1941
                     
  The Kan No Mado, 1845     L'Annee Preparatoire de Travail Manuel by M P Martin, 1893     Paper Magic by U F Grant, 1941 (incomplete information)
                     
  Juegos de los Ninos, 1847     Pour Amuser les Petits by Tom Tit, 1894     Article in Popular Mechanics magazine, 1946
                     
  Manuel Pratique des Jardins D'Enfants de Friedrich Froebel, 1859     Course in Paperfolding by Eleenore Heerwart, 1895     El Plegado y Cartonaje en la Escuela Primaria by Corina Luciani de Luchia and Antonia M Luchia, 1946
                     
  The Boy's Own Toymaker by E Landells, 1859     Froebel's Occupations by Kate Douglas Wiggin and Nora Archibald Smith, 1896     The Art of Chinese Paperfolding by Maying Soong, 1948
                     
  The Girl's Own Toymaker by E Landells and Alice Landells, 1860     Article in The Strand Magazine, 1896     Au Pays des Mains Agiles, 1949
                     
  De Kleine Papierwerkers, by Elise Van Calcar, 1863     Kindergarten Guide by Lois Bates, 1897     A Bibliography of Paper Folding by Gershon Legman, 1952 (incomplete information)
                     
  Spielbuch fur Knaben by Hermann Wagner, 1864     Le Livre des Amusettes by Toto, 1899     Paper Magic by Robert Harbin, 1956
                     
  Every Little Boy's Book, 1864     What Shall We Do Now? by Edward Verral Lucas and Elizabeth Lucas, 1900     Origami Dokuhon 1 by Akira Yoshizawa, 1957 (incomplete information)
                     
  Spielbuch für Mädchen by Marie Leske, 1865     La Recreation en Famille by Tom Tit, 1903     Origami Zukan by Okimasa Uchiyama, 1958 (incomplete information)
                     
  Der Kindergarten by Hermann Goldammer, 1869 First Edition     La Ensenanza del Trabajo Manuel by Pedro de Alcántara García and Teodosio Leal y Quiroga, 1903     Plane Geometry and Fancy Figures Exhibition Catalogue, 1959
                     
  Paradise of Childhood by Edward Wiebe, 1869     Guia Practica del Trabajo Manual Educativo by Ezequiel Solana, 1904     The Art of Origami by Samuel Randlett, 1961
                     
  Hanky Panky by W H Cremer, 1872     Les Bon Jeudis by Tom Tit, 1906     Folding Paper Puppets by Shari Lewis and Lillian Oppenheimer, 1962
                     
  Der Kindergarten by Hermann Goldammer, 1874 Edition     Les Petits Secrets Amusants by Alber-Graves, 1908 (incomplete information)     Secrets of Origami by Robert Harbin, 1963
                     
  Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch by E Barth and W Niederley, 1876     Handicraft Teaching Materials and Teaching Methods by Hideyoshi Okayama, 1909 (incomplete information)     Folding Paper Toys by Shari Lewis and Lillian Oppenheimer, 1963
                     
  Tokyo Women's Normal School publication, 1878     Die Frobelschen Beschaftigungen by Marie Muller-Wunderlich, 1910     The Best of Origami by Samuel Randlett, 1964
                     
  Yochien Ho Niju Yuki by Seki Shinzo, 1879     Scientific Amusements by C G Knott, 1918     Lampen Aus Papier by Brigitte Schussler, 1964
                     
        Paper Tricks by Will Goldston, 1919 (incomplete information)     Folding Paper Masks by Shari Lewis and Lillian Oppenheimer, 1965 (incomplete information)
                     
              The World of Origami by Isao Honda, 1965
                     
              Meditations on a Waterbomb by Kenneth M Kawamura, 1977