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Last updated 3/1/2024

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The Cocotte / Pajarita in Western Europe 1875 to 1899
 

This page attempts to record what is known about the history of the traditional origami design known as the Cocotte (in French) and the Pajarita (in Spanish) inWestern Europe during the years 1875 to 1899. Please contact me if you know any of the information on this page is incorrect or if you have any other important information that should be added. Thank you.

There are separate pages about the history of the Cocotte / Pajarita:

During the years 1800 to 1849

During the years 1850 to 1874

During the years 1900 to 1924

During the years 1925 to 1970

In Japan

An Introduction giving general information about this design can be found on the page relating to the years 1800 to 1850.

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Chronology

1875

Pajaritas feature on the cover of several issues of Apeles Mestres' periodical 'Llibre Vert', which was published in Barcelona. Information from Juan Gimeno.

From May 1875

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From 20th July 1875

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From 28th July 1875

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These three caricatures, two showing men with Cocottes and the third Pastella Crevette / Marie Michu, with a Cocotte shadow, appeared in the French satirical periodical 'LeTrombinoscope' in June and November 1874 and January 1875 respectively.

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This print by Henri-Charles Guerin, titled 'Les cocottes de la mort' dates from 1875. The catalogue of the exhibition 'A Curious Hand: The prints of Henri-Charles Guerard 1846–1897', held at the New YorkPublic Library in 2016/17 said 'This bizarre image shows a skull in a stand-off with five folded-paper origami. Surrounding and facing the grimacing skull, the paper creatures appear confrontational and even menacing. The meaning of the work is hard to ascertain, though the artist’s use of origami may suggest an allegory involving the triumph of Japanese art and/or japonisme.'

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A Cocotte appears in the bottom left cporner of this painting by Edouard Frederic Wilhelm Richter, titled 'The Visit from the Photographer', which can be dated to 1875. Information from Juan Gimeno. The head of the Cocotte is strangely distorted.

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1877

Instructions for folding the 'cocotte en papier' appear in 'Cours de Travail Manuel (Pour les Garcons) - Premiere Partie - Cours Elementaire' by A Planty, which was published by Gedalge Jeune in Paris in 1887.

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A cocotte was depicted in the masthead of the Parisian journal 'La Cocotte' in 1877.

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1878

This caricature by Andre Gill in the series 'Les Hommes D'Aujourd'hui' was published in 1878.

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1880

There is mention of a design called 'The Bird' in 'The Kindergarten Principle' by Mary J Lyschinska, which was published in London in 1880 by Wm Isbister Ltd, but no illustration is given. I presume this is the Pajarita / Cocotte.

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The front covers of both the January 1880 issue of Apeles Mestre's 'Granizada' and the album, published in Barcelona, both include Pajaritas. Information from Juan Gimeno.

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The July 1880 cover of Apeles Mestres' periodical 'Llibre Vert', which was published in Barcelona, also featured a Pajarita. Information from Juan Gimeno.

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1881

The design appears, as 'The Bird' in part two of 'The Kindergarten Guide' by Maria Kraus Boelte and John Kraus, which was published in 1881 by E. Steiger and Company in New York.

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This caricature of the cartoonist Alfred Grevin riding a Cocotte appeared on the cover of the issue of 'Les Contemporains' for 1st August 1881.

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1882

This caricature of Alexandre Dumas Fils, also featuring a Cocotte, was published in 'Le Trombinoscope' in 1882.

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A child playing with a somewhat malformed cocotte appears in this painting entitled 'Breton Nursery School' by Jean-Baptiste Jules Trayer (1824-1909). Information from Juan Gimeno.

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1883

'Giuochi Fanciulleschi Siciliani' by Giuseppe Pitri, which was published by Luigi Pedone Lauriel in Palermo in 1883, contains an image of the Cocotte / Pajarita design under the name 'Lu Cavadduzzu' (the little horse).

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Various drawings of cocottes also appear in a pictorial story by Apeles Mestres dated 2nd August 1883 found in his Llibre Vert III.

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This illustration of Gulliver with Cocottes by Victor Armand Poirson (1859 -1893) is said to be from a French edition of 'Gullivers Travels' by Jonathan Swift (1667- 1745) published in 1883.

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1884

'Les Cocottes de Mon Grand-Pere' a chapter, appearing in a book of the same name by Alfred Delvau, which was published by C Marpon and E Flammarion in Paris in 1884 mentions and illustrates folded paper cocottes on several occasions.

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The May 1884 cover of Apeles Mestres' periodical 'Llibre Vert', which was published in Barcelona, also featured Pajaritas. Information from Juan Gimeno.

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1886

The cover of Madrid Comico for 15th May features a caricature of Antonio Valbuena hunting Cocottes.

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1888

On 5th, 12th and 19th August 1988 the magazine 'Bilbao' published a memoir written by Miguel de Unamuno account, in three parts, entitled 'Historia de Unas Pajaritas de Papel', which describes how, in 1874, when he would have been 10, he and his cousin, who is not named, folded and played with paper pajaritas and other toys during the bombing of Bilbao during the Third Carlist War.

The original typewritten manuscript is now held in the archives of the University of Salamanca. The full document can be viewed at https://gredos.usal.es/bitstream/handle/10366/84004/CMU_1-23.pdf?sequence=1

A transcript of the full original Spanish text (courtesy of Juan Gimeno) and a complete rough English translation can be found here.

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1890

Diagrams for 'Une cocote' appear in 'Les travaux manuels a l'ecole primaire a l'usage des ecoles de garcons' by Dauzat and Deramond, which was published by Alcide, Picard et Kaan in Paris in 1890.

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'Grosses Illustriertes Spielbuch fur Knaben' by Dr Jan Daniel Georgens, which was published in Berlin in 1890 contains the statement 'Another popular figure is the 'Springhahn', which is probably a reference to the Cocotte / Pajarita, 'sprinkhaan' meaning 'grasshopper' in Dutch.

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1891

There are references to the cocotte, in the 'Bulletin de la Societe de Protection des Apprentis', an official document issued by the Societe de Protection des Apprentis et des Enfants Employes par les Manufactures in Paris in 1891.

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1892

'Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire' by Jully & Rocheron, which was published by Librairie Classique Eugene Belin in Paris in 1892 contains instructions for folding a 'Cocote' (sic).

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1893

Instructions for folding the design were published, as the 'Cocotte or Poule' in 'L'Annee Preparatoire de Travail Manuel' by M P Martin, which was published by Armand Collin & Cie in Paris in 1893.

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The design was also pubished as 'La Pajarita' in 'Cuestiones de Pedagogía Práctica: Medios de Instruir' by D Vicente Castro Legua, which was published by Libreria de la Viuda de la Hernando y Ca in Madrid in 1893

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'Practical Suggestions for Kindergartners, Primary Teachers and Mothers' by Jeannette R Gregory, which was published by C B Woodward and Co in St Louis in 1893, contains an illustration of the Cocotte / Pajarita under the title of 'The Chicken'.

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1894

An article entitled 'Pajaritologia', by Senesio Delgado, was published in the Spanish satirical magazine 'Madrid Comico on 13th January 1894. The article uses the folding of Cocottes / Pajaritas to make satirical points about art and contemporary thought. It is possible that the article inspired or influenced Miguel de Unamuno in the writing of his much more famous 'Apuntes para un tratado de cocotologia', and its existence also perhaps explains why Miguel de Unamuno chose to use the word 'cocotologia' rather than the more obvious 'pajaritologia' in his own work. There is, however, no direct evidence that Miguel de Unamuno was aware of the earlier work.

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In the same year the Cocotte also appears in 'Jeux et Occupations Pour les Petits: Guide des Mères et des Institutrices' by Henriette Suzanne Brés was published by Librairie Classique Fernand Nathan in Paris in 1894.

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1895

In an article 'A Paper Bird, a Double Boat and a Workshop Hat' by Burnett Fallow in the 'Boy's Own Paper' of 2nd November 1895. My thanks to Tung Ken Lam for sourcing this illustration.

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1896

The design is pictured, but not named, in Eleonore Heerwart's 'Course in Paperfolding' was first published in Dutch in 1895 then in English by Charles and Dible in London and Glasgow in 1896.

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Cocottes also featured on the cover of the 15th Feb 1896 issue of the French satirical magazine 'Le Rire'

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A Pajarita was pictured on the cover of 'Repertorio Completo de Todos los Juegos', which was published in Madrid in 1896, although the design was not included in the paperfolds explained inside.

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1897

There is a somewhat similar image on the front cover of 5th December 1897 issue of the Italian satirical magazine 'Il Pasquino', which was published in Turin.

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1898

This undated painting by Auguste Joseph Trupheme (1836-1898), known as 'The Class Pranksters' shows two Cocottes sitting on the floor. Since Auguste Trupheme died in 1898 this is the last possible year it could have been painted.

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A cocotte also appears as a decoration on a Christmas Tree in 'Travaux Recreatifs Pour les Enfants de 4 a 10 Ans' by Marie Koenig, which was published by Librairie Hachette et Cie in Paris in 1898.

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1899

The design appears as 'La Cocotte' in 'Le Livre des Amusettes' by Toto, which was published in Paris by Charles Mendel in 1899.

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