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Last updated 13/2/2024

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The Fold and Slit Cage / Fold and Slit Fishing Net

The only difference between these two designs is that the Cage is made using straight cuts and the Fishing Net using curved cuts.

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1863

As far as I know these designs both first appear as 'Het vogelkoo' (the bird cage) and 'Het vischnet' (the fishing net) in 'De Kleine Papierwerkers: Volume 4: Het Knippen en plakken' (Cutting and Pasting), written by Elise Van Calcar and published by K H Schadd in Amsterdam in 1863.

This passage seems to be a description of how to make the Paper Cage.

This passage says, roughly, 'Then take another square of paper, fold it diagonally as fig 7. Now bring your two sharp corners to your right corner (fig 8 and 9) until you have a square. Fold this in the middle until you have another triangle (fig 10). Now we cut it from the side with slits ... Now carefully unfold ... put a pin through the middle and carefully draw down the four corners ... We glue the four bottom edges on a sheet of stiff paper of equal size and you have a lovely bird cage.'

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And this as to how to make the Fishing Net

This passage, which follows directly on from the one above, says, roughly, 'The fishing net is created in the same way with the difference thatthe cuts are rounded ... If we fold a square in four and cut off the corners we get a (rounded) edge ... and finally a beautiful fishing net is cut.'

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1876

The Cage also appears in 'Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch' by E Barth and W Niederley, which was first published in Bielefeld and Leipzig, and the foreword of which is dated October 1876.

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1884

A simpler version of the cage design, called the Birdcage, can be found in 'Jeux et Jouet du Jeune Age' by Gaston Tissandier, which was published by G Masson in Paris in 1884.

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The Cage also appears:

1891

In 'Pleasant Work for Busy Fingers' by Maggie Browne, which was published by Cassell and Company in London in 1891. This book is an English version of 'Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch' enhanced by the addition of a few extra designs.

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1899

As 'L'Encensoir' (The Censer) in .Le Livre des Amusettes' by Toto was published in Paris by Charles Mendel in 1899.

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1900

In 'Mes Jolie Jeux' by Henriette Suzanne Bres, which was published by Librairie Hachette in Paris in 1900.

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1904

In 'Guia Practica del Trabajo Manual Educativo' by Ezequiel Solana, which was published by Editorial Magisterio Español in Madrid in 1904.

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1910

A description of how to make a variation of the Fold and Slit Cage, called 'Apple Seed Mousetraps', appears in 'Studies in Invalid Occupation' by Susan E Tracy was published by Whitcomb and Barrows in Boston in 1910.

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1911

In 'Häusliche Kleinkunst und Bastelarbeit in Wort und Bild' by Hermann Pfeiffer, which was published by Verlag von Hermann Zieger in Leipzig in 1911.

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1923

As the 'Paper Basket' in 'More Paper Magic' by Will Blyth, which was published by C Arthur Pearson in London in 1923.

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1936

In 'Allerlei Papierarbeiten' by Hilde Wulff and Carola Babick, which was published in Leipzig and Berlin in 1936.

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1937

As 'The Basket' in 'Paper Toy Making' by Margaret Campbell was first published by Sir Isaac Pitman and Sons Ltd in London, probably in 1937, although both the Foreword and Preface are dated 1936, which argues that the book was complete at that date.

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1939

As 'The Old-Fashioned Purse' in 'Fun with Paper' by Joseph Leeming, which was published by Spencer Press Inc in Chicago in 1939.

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1949

As 'Simple Lampion Decoratif' in 'Au Pays des Mains Agiles', which was published by Editions Fleurus in Paris in 1949.

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1951

The extended version of 'El Mundo de Papel' by Dr Nemesio Montero, which was published by G Miranda in Edicions Infancia in Valladolid in 1951, also contains this effect under the title 'El Farol, Cesta, Jaula o Paracaidas' (Lantern, Basket, Cage or Parachute).

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The Fold and Slit Trellis

1876

As far as I know this design first appeared in 'Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch' by E Barth and W Niederley, which was first published in Bielefeld and Leipzig, and the foreword of which is dated October 1876.

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The Fold and Slit Trellis also appears:

1891

In 'Pleasant Work for Busy Fingers' by Maggie Browne, which was published by Cassell and Company in London in 1891. This book is an English version of 'Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch' enhanced by the addition of a few extra designs.

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1894

In 'La Nature' Issue 1093 of 12th May 1894 in an article by 'Dr Z...' headed 'Recreations scientifiques' and subheaded 'Papier decoupe formant un filet'.

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1907

In issue 1503 of the Boy's Own Paper of 2nd November 1907, which suggests it may be 'used as an ornament for the overmantle.'

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1920

In 'Paper Magic' by Will Blyth, which was first published by C Arthur Pearson in London in 1920.

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