The Public Paperfolding History Project

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Last updated 4/12/2024

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Honda's Peacock
 
This page is being used to collect information about the history of the compound glued and cut design which I call Honda's Peacock, although it is sometimes attributed, I believe incorrectly, to Akira Yoshizawa. The cut is used to create the crest. Please contact me if you know any of this information is incorrect or if you have any other information that should be added. Thank you.

In his Obituary of Isao Honda David Lister wrote that 'Origami Shuko contained 'a section of two-piece models (of the kind which also occupy a large proportion of his English books). Honda steadfastly claimed these as his own ...Yoshizawa countered by publicly accusing Honda of copying his models, and by claiming that he taught Honda paper-folding. The peacock with the pleated tail became a particular point of contention, but Honda steadfastly and unambiguously maintained that this was his own model.'

Such evidence as I have been able to locate that bears on this controversy is presented below. It has to be said that the evidence, as it stands at present, favours Honda's case rather than Yoshizawa's.

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1944

As far as I know this design first appears in 'Origami Shuko' by Isao Honda, which was published in 1944. Although the Hen, Rooster and Chicks which appear on the same page are attributed to Yoshizawa, the Peacock is not. Nor is it attributed in the diagrams which appear later inthe work. Since Honda is careful throughout the book to attribute those designs created by Yoshizawa to him this is a clear indication that the Peacock is not among them. Honda does not claim that the design is his own creation in this book, although he did make this claim at a later date (see entry for 1965 below).

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1954

'Atari Origami Geijuitsu' by Akira Yoshizawa, which was published by Origami Geijutsu Sha in 1954, contains another version of the Compound Peacock designs. In this version the tail is glued inside rather than outside the body.

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1957

The same design appears in 'Origami Dokuhon' by Akira Yoshizawa, which was published by Ryokuchi-Sha in 1957. Yoshizawa does not make any claim of authorship for this design, but also does not attribute it to Honda. Note that the book as a whole contains no attributions of authorship and does not state whether any individual design is traditional, or designed by Yoshizawa himself etc.

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1960

As 'A Peacock' in 'All About Origami' by Isao Honda, which was published by Toto Bunka Company, Limited in Tokyo in 1960. The crest is created using a cut.

 

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1965

The design also appears in 'The World of Origami' by Isao Honda, which was published in English in the USA by Japan Publications Trading Company in 1965.

Honda makes a clear claim, in several different places within the book, to authorship of the design:

(from the biographical notes on the dust jacket)

From p261

From p252

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