The Public Paperfolding History Project

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The 1885 engraving of the Flapping Bird

   These Topic Pages are being used to collect information relating to aspects of paperfolding history and are, in effect, my personal notes. Because of the difficulty of keeping up with new discoveries as they are made, and remembering to update every relevant page on every occasion that new information comes to light, these notes should be viewed more as a starting point for further research than a definitive statement of everything that is known. You are welcome to check with me as to the likely completeness or otherwise of a Topic Page you are interested in.

Topic Pages also act as Indexes to the Public Paperfolding History Project as a whole.

Topic Pages are arranged under the following sub-headings, from top to bottom of the page:

Top Level Topic Pages

Second Level Topic Pages

Third Level Topic Pages

Groundforms / Bases

Designs from Standard Bases / Groundforms / Basic Folds / Paper Shapes

Paperfolding Ideas / Practices

Paperfolding in Japan

Paperfolding in China

Paperfolding in Europe, the Americas and the Antipodes

Froebelian Paperfolding

Flat Geometric Designs and Decorations

How to Construct Polygons by Folding Paper

How to Construct Polyhedra by Folding Paper

Other Mathematical Paperfolds

Flexagons and Some Other Related Flexible Objects

Everyday Practical Paperfolding

Designs for Inanimate Objects

Designs for Living Things
 
 
 
Top Level Topic Pages
 
 
 
 
Second Level Topic Pages
 
  Designs made by Crumpling the Paper     Designs made using Multiple Sheets     Designs folded from paper which has been divided into semi-separate sections by Slits before folding commences
                     
  Designs made using Curved Creases           Designs Folded from Strips
                     
  Fold and Cut Designs (from which no paper is removed)     Fold and One Cut Designs     Tab and Slit Designs
                     
  Fold and Cut Designs (from which paper is removed to create a symmetrical shape, picture or pattern)     Pleated Designs     Designs Woven from Folded Strips
                     
  Designs folded from Irregular Templates or Paper Shapes     Designs developed from Rolls / Scrolls and Coils      
 
 
 
Third Level Topic Pages
 
  Active Play Designs     Formal and Ceremonial Paperfolding     Using Paper Moulds to Pleat Fabric
                     
  Paperfolding in Advertising     Three-Dimensional Single-Sheet Geometric Ornaments and Decorations     Constructing Polygons by Folding Paper
                     
  Constructing Angles by Folding Paper     Paperfolding Games     Polyhedra Constructed from Irregular Nets
                     
  Bat Books     Handkerchief Folding      
                     
  Book, Catalogue and Magazine Folding     Inflatable Designs     Paperfolding as Political Propaganda
                     
  Paper Books and Folding Pages     Designs which Move under Insect Power     Paperfolding in Psychological Tests
                     
  Cardboard Modelling / Cartonnage     Paper Prisons for Insects     Paperfolding Puzzles
                     
  Compound Representational Designs     Macromodular Paperfolding     Mathematical Paperfolding Puzzles
                     
  Concentric Crease Designs / The Hyperbolic Paraboloid / The Saddle     Paperfolding Stunts, Entertainments and Magical Effects     Quilling / Paper Filigree
                     
  Paperfolding in Cookery and Baking     Mathematical Paperfolding     Air / Breath Driven Rotating Designs
                     
        Mobiles made using origami figures      
                     
  Fold and Cut / Fold, Cut and Fold Animals and Human Figures (incomplete)     Modular Paperfolding     See-Through Designs
                     
  Fold, Cut and Fold Chevron Designs     Money Folding / Dollar Bill Folding     Scientific Applications of Paperfolding
                     
  Fold and Cut Friezes (incomplete)     Tablecloth, Napkin, Serviette and Handkerchief Folding     Designs Woven from Straw
                     
  Fold and Cut Paper Flowers     Noise Making Designs     Paperfolding as a Means of Teaching Sewing Techniques
                     
  Applications of Paperfolding in Engineering     Paperfolding in Occupational Therapy     Paper Sloyd
                     
  Flapping Birds     Paper Packets and Packaging (incomplete)     Paper Tearing (as an entertainment)
                     
  Flexagons     Pattern Drawing Puzzles Solved by Folding Paper     Walking Designs
                     
  Flying Objects     Designs from Playing Cards     Water Absorbing Designs
 
 
 
Groundforms / Bases
 
  The Waterbomb Base     The Windmill Base     The Bird Base
                     
  The Double Blintz Basic Form     The Blintzed Windmill Base     The Frog Base
                     
  The Triple Blintz Basic Form     Koehler's Groundform     The Fish Base
 
 
 
Designs from Standard Bases / Groundforms / Basic Folds / Paper Shapes
 
(Note that this section of the site is 'in process' at present.)
 
  Designs developed from the Double Blintz Basic Form     Designs developed from the Preliminary Fold     Designs developed from the Bird Base
                     
  Designs developed from Koehler's Groundform aka The Double Bookfold Basic Form     Designs developed from the Fish Base     Designs developed from the Pig Base
                     
  Designs developed from the Triple Blintz Basic Form     Designs developed from the Windmill Base     Designs developed from the House
                     
  Designs developed from the Waterbomb Base     Designs developed from the Blintzed Windmill Base     Designs based on a 3x3 Grid
                     
              Designs based on a 5x5 Grid
 
 
 
Paperfolding Ideas / Practices
 
  Bases     Metallic Foil as a Folding Material     Wetfolding
                     
  Diagramming techniques     Pure Origami      
                     
  The Concept of Elegance     Squarism      
 
 
 
Paperfolding in Japan
 
  Forms of Beauty (in Japanese publications)     Japanese Knotted Letters     Sake Bottle Covers and Decorations
                     
  Collages made using Folded Circles     Kusudama     Shide / Japanese Sacred Cut and Fold Paper Streamers
                     
  Connected Cranes     Noshi     Designs folded from Slit Bases
                     
  Strings of Cranes     Ocho and Mecho     Paper String
                     
  Fold and Cut Family Crests / Mon     Orikawari-e / Japanese Fold-in Prints     Tsutsumi - General
                     
  Paperfolding in Elementary Schools in Japan (in process)     The word 'Origami'     Tsutsumi - Closed Wrappers
                     
  Japanese Folded Letters     Japanese Transformable Picture Forms     Tsutsumi - Closed Wrappers with Integral Noshi
                     
  Kaishi     Chronology of Early Japanese Representative Designs (in process)     Tsutsumi - Open Wrappers
                     
  Paperfolding in the Kindergarten in Japan            
 
 
 
Paperfolding in China
 
Chinese Paperfolding - An Overview
 
  Folded Paper Armour     Chinese Paper Fans     Chinese Multiple Layer Collapsible Boxes (Zhen Xian Bao) (in process)
                     
  Chinese Books and Bindings     Chinese Modular Origami / 3D Origami / Golden Venture Origami     Folding Paper Umbrellas
                     
  Chinese Symmetrical Fold and Cut Designs (in process)     The Insect Cage     Chinese Wrapping and Containers (Early Instances)
                     
        Chinese Letter Folds (in process)     Folded Paper Yuan Bao / Sycee
 
 
 
Paperfolding in Europe, the Americas and the Antipodes
 
The pages in this section are in the very early stages of construction at present
 
  Paperfolding in Argentina     Paperfolding in England     Paperfolding in Portugal
                     
  Paperfolding in Australia     Paperfolding in France     Paperfolding in Russia
                     
  Paperfolding in Austria     Paperfolding in Germany     Paperfolding in Spain
                     
  Paperfolding in Belgium     Paperfolding in in Italy     Paperfolding in Switzerland
                     
  Paperfolding in Canada     Paperfolding in the Netherlands     Paperfolding in the USA
                     
  Paperfolding in Denmark     Paperfolding in New Zealand      
 
 
 
Froebelian Paperfolding
 
General
 
 
The Original Froebelian Occupations
 
The original Froebelian Occupations are those thought to have been developed by Friedrich Froebel himself
 
 
Additional Occupations
 
. Additional Occupations are those thought to have been developed by Froebel's disciples / followers after his death in 1852.
 
  The Additional Froebelian Occupation of Folding Borders and Corners from Single Strips     The Additional Occupation of using Crease Patterns as the basis of Colouring and Drawing Exercises     The Additional Froebelian Occupation of Pappen (Cardboard Modelling)
                     
  The Additional Froebelian Occupation of Braiding / Tressage     The Additional Froebelian Occupation of Cutting Representational Designs from Folded Sheets of Paper     The Additional Froebelian Occupation of Constructing Polyhedra from Irregular Nets
                     
  The Additional Occupation of Braiding / Tressage - Designs Braided from Split Strips     The Froebelian Occupation of Falten - Lebensformen - Simple Folds of Life     The Additional Froebelian Occupation of Cutting Tiles from Folded Grids and Using Them to Form Patterns
 
 
 
Flat Geometric Patterns and Decorations
 
 
 
 
How to Construct Polygons by Folding Paper
 
Excluding the Construction of Polyhedra from Irregular Nets
 
  How to Construct Squares from Oblongs     How to Construct the Regular Nonagon     How to Construct Three-Pointed Stars
                     
  How to Construct the Equilateral Triangle     How to Construct the Regular Decagon     How to Construct Four-Pointed Stars
                     
  How to Construct the Regular Pentagon     How to Construct the Regular Dodecagon     How to Construct Five-Pointed Stars
                     
  How to Construct the Regular Hexagon     How to Construct the Regular Hexadecagon     How to Construct Six-Pointed Stars
                     
  How to Construct the Regular Heptagon     How to Construct Rhombi     How to Construct Eight-Pointed Stars
                     
  How to Construct the Regular Octagon     How to Construct Crosses     Constructing Polygons using Knots folded from Paper Strips
 
 
 
How to Construct Polyhedra by Folding Paper
 
  Cubes and Cuboids     Octahedra     Other Polyhedra
                     
  Dodecahedra     Prisms      
                     
  Icosahedra     Pyramids (including Tetrahedra)     Constructing Polyhedra by Folding Paper
 
 
 
Other Mathematical Paperfolds
 
 
 
 
Flexagons and Some Other Related Flexible Objects
 
  Flexagons (overview)     Silverflexagons     Cherchez la Femme / The Trick Book
                     
  Hexaflexagons     Bronzeflexagons     The Flexatube
                     
  Tetraflexagons     Black Holes      
 
 
 
Everyday Practical Paperfolding
 
 
 
 
Designs for Inanimate Objects
 
  Alphabets, Letters and Numbers     Furniture     Paper Planes and Other Gliding Objects
                     
  Paper Bags           Multiple-Image Pleated Paper Pictures / Falzbilder / Tabulae Striatae
                     
  Paper Balls           Cut and Fold Polygonal Packets
                     
  Baskets           Paper Poulets
                     
  Beads           Paper Prams
                     
  Boats and Ships     Paper Bands, Chains and Garlands     Purses / Bags / Wallets / Card Holders (incomplete)
                     
  Bookmarks     Globus Gores     Sedan Chairs / Kagos / Palanquins
                     
  Bow Ties     Hats and Caps     Space Vehicles
                     
  Boxes, Bowls and Other Containers     Hearts      
                     
        Jewellery / Rings     Spools / Yarn Holders
                     
  2D representations of Buildings and Structures     Knots folded from Paper Strips     Symmetrical Inkblots / Klecksography / The Rorschach Test
                     
  3D representations of Buildings, Other Structures and Architectural Elements     Pleated Paper Lampshades     Tents
                     
  Card Castles / Houses of Cards / Chateaux de Cartes / Playing Card Skittles     Landscapes      
                     
  Card Castles and Cocottes     Lamps / Lanterns / Lanthorns      
                     
  Paper Cartridges     Lover's Knots     Tools and Household Equipment
                     
  Clothing / Shoes / Personal Accessories     Masks     Transport and Vehicles
                     
  Codes revealed by Folding     Metamorphoses / Harlequinades      
                     
  Corporals     Mitres of Infamy     Umbrellas and Parasols
                     
  Crowns     Musical Instruments (non-playing)      
                     
  Paper Cups     One Way Trays     Valentines, Proposals and Love Tokens
                     
  Paper Darts and Flights     Paperclips      
                     
  Desk Furniture     Paper Parachutes     The Folding of Visiting / Calling Cards
                     
        Folded Patenbriefs / Taufbriefs / Godparent Letters     Write and Fold Games / Draw and Fold Games / Le Cadavre Exquis
                     
  Pleated Paper Fans / Firescreens     Picture Frames     Wall Mounted Designs (incomplete)
                     
  Fold-Outs (incomplete)     Paper Pipes     Waterwheels
                     
  Footwear     Paper Pistols     Windmills and Rotors
 
 
 
Designs for Living Things
 
  Angels     Elephants     Mythical and Invented Creatures
                     
  Badgers     Fish     Octopii
                     
        Plants, Flowers and Seeds (incomplete)     Ostriches and Emus
                     
  Bats           Parrots, Parakeets and Macaws
                     
  Bears     Foxes / Raccoon Dogs     Peacocks and Peahens
                     
  Miscellaneous Birds           Pelicans
                     
  Bulls and Cows     Fukusuke     Penguins
                     
  Butterflies and Moths     Frogs, Toads and Tadpoles     Pheasants
                     
  Camels     Ghosts     Pigs and Boars
                     
  Cats     Giraffes     Creatures with Pleated Wings / Tail
                     
  Cicadas     Goats     Rabbits and Hares
                     
  Crabs     Hens, Chickens, Chicks and Roosters.     Rhinocerii
                     
  Cranes, Storks and Herons (modelled in a standing pose)     Hina Dolls / Emperor and Empress Figures     Father Christmas / Santa Claus
                     
  Cranes, Storks and Herons (modelled in a flying pose)     Hippopotamii     Miscellaneous Sealife and Shellfish
                     
  Cranes, Storks and Herons (modelled in a seated pose)     Horses     Seals / Sealions
                     
  Crane and Tortoise Designs     Human Faces     Sheep
                     
        Human Figures (incomplete)     Snails
                     
        Hyenas     Spiders
                     
  Crocodiles and Alligators     Insects     Tigers
                     
  Deer     Kangaroos     Trees
                     
  Dinosaurs and other Prehistoric Creatures     Leaves     Turtles / Tortoises
                     
  Dogs     Lions     Water Buffaloes
                     
  Dragonflies     Lizards     Whales
                     
  Dragons     Lobsters     Wolves
                     
  Ducks, Swans and Geese     Mice and Rats     Zebras
                     
  Eagles and Hawks     Monkeys and Apes