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Last updated 14/7/2023

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Although this is almost certainly originally a Japanese design, it appears first in a Western European source.

There are many versions / variations of this design.

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In China (and in publications by Chinese authors)

1914

Diagrams for this design, titled just 'Swallow', appear in 'Zhe zhi tu shuo' (Illustrated Paperfolding), compiled by Gui Shaolie, which was published by the Commercial Press in Shanghai in Ming guo 3 (1914).

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In Japan (and in publications by Japanese authors)

1904

A version of this design with a cut and crossed tail appears in 'Shukouka Kyoju Shishin: Maiji Haitou' by Hyojiro Nakagaki, which was published by Kenseikai in Tokyo in 1904. There are no diagrams, only a drawing of the finished design.

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1905

A drawing of what appears to be the same design, although in this case uncut, appears as 'Swallow, in 'Shukouka Kyohon : Liron Jishuu Souga Setsumei' by Kikujiro Kiuchi, Rokushiro Uehara and Hideyoshi Okayama, which was published by Shigebei Takase in Chiba in 1905.

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The design also appears:

1908

In 'Origami zusetsu' (Illustrated Origami) by Sano Shozo, which was published in Tokyo in 1908.

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1931

In 'Origami (Part 1)' by Isao Honda, which was first published in Japan in 1931. The diagrams also show how the same folding sequence can produce a 'Copper Pheasant' (in step 13). This second design appears to be uncut.

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1935

In 'Origami Moyo, Book One', by Kawarazaki Kodo, which was published by Unsodo in Japan in 1935, contained two prints showing birds which look like versions of the Cut Swallow design.

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1944

In 'Origami Shuko' by Isao Honda, which was published in 1944. The diagrams also show how the same folding sequence can produce a 'Woodcock' (in step 15). This second design appears to be uncut.

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1959

In 'Origami: Book Three' by Florence Sakade, which was published by the Charles E Tuttle Company in Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo in 1959.

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A version of the same design in which the wings have been opened out appears in 'Pocket Guide to Origami: Bow-Wow Book', by Isao Honda, which was published by the Asahi Origami Club, Tokyo in 1959.

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In Europe and the Americas

1900

The issue of 'Revue des arts décoratifs' of 1st January 1900 in a chapter written by Felix Regamey and titled 'L'enseignement du Dessin dans les E'coles de Files au Japon'. P117 contains a picture of the Cut Swallow and says 'Dans les classes élémentaires, les exercices devant conduire à l'étude du dessin proprement dit auxquels on a recours sont, comme chez nous, le pliage, le découpage et le collage, après quoi vient le piquage sur carton, représentant des sujets simples, à l'aide de fils de soie. Comme exemple de pliage : une galiote,un oiseau. Un papillon rose, des herbes vertes en papier, découpés et collés, font un petit tableau ; un éventail dans les fleurs, un poisson dans l'eau, exécutés en soie, donnent lieu à des sujets plus compliqués.'

In English, roughly, 'In elementary classes, the exercises which lead to the study of the drawing itself are, as in our case, folding, cutting.and gluing, after which comes stitching on cardboard, representing simple subjects, using silk threads. As an example of folding: a galiote, a bird. A pink butterfly, green paper herbs, cut and glued, make a small painting; a fan in the flowers, a fish in the water, executed in silk, giving rise to more complicated subjects.'

Unusually the 'bird' is the Cut Swallow not the Paper Crane. The 'galiote' is not pictured and so cannot be identified.

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1902

The same material was subsequently republished in ' Le Dessin et som Emseignement dans les Ecoles de Tokyo' by Felix Regamey in Paris in 1902, the only substantial difference, being that the words 'un galiote' were omitted from the text, probably for reasons of layout.

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1904

The same image was also published in Livraison 4 of 'Le Japon en images' by Felix Regamey, in 1904.

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