The Public Paperfolding History Project

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Elephants
 
This page attempts to record what is known about the origin and history of paper elephants. 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.

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1932

As far as I know the earliest design for a paper elephant appears in Booklet 2 of 'Images a Plier', a series of 6 booklets published by Librairie Larousse in Paris in 1932. The figure is made in two parts and cuts are used to create the legs, tusks and tail.

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The Spanish Elephant - 1939 onwards

This design is made from just a single sheet of paper, but is heavily and multiply cut.

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1951

A heavily cut design for an elephant appeared in 'Origami: Folding Paper for Children' by Claude Sarasas, which was published by Kodansha in Tokyo in 1951.

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1958

A very simple cut elephant appears in 'Origami: Book Two' by Florence Sakade, which was published by the Charles E Tuttle Company in Rutland, Vermont and Tokyo in 1958

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1968

The same cut design also appears in 'Your Book of Paperfolding' by Vanessa and Eric de Maré, which was published by Faber and Faber in London in 1968, where it was is to be a traditional Japanese design.

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