'Folderier'

 

The 1944, 1945, and 1947 editions, left to right.

The oldest, Danish origami book

This origami book is the oldest, known origami book in Danish and is a small piece of cultural history. Originating in the hospital world, the preface says: This collection of paper models is intended as a therapeutical pastime for patients. We also hope that it may find use for enjoying children of all ages. (translated from Danish)

The three editions

Printed by Dansk Lyskopi A/S, there is no indication of author or publisher (see below).

The first edition from 1944 is published while Denmark was occupied by the Germans during World War II. It contains 28 models, has 54 pages, and with the book's 14 mm they are cardboard rather than paper. Rather than a traditional binding, the front, back and pages are held together with two coarsely made rings, but which makes it very suitable to put open and follow instructions.

American pocket battle ship.

The second edition from 1945 is likely published after World War II ended as the paper is thinner and better. The contents and binding is the same as for the 1944 edition.

The third edition from 1947 has the same paper, but with a real metal coil binding. Also, the contents has been extended with three new models: An American pocket battle ship, a clicking bird beak, and the traditional napkin lotus fold. The battle ship could of course not be in the 1944 edition as the Americans then were in open war with the Germans.

The authours

The two authors are Bent Hammer Barfod (* 16/5 1918, ✝ 26/7 1995), chief physician, and Lass Mahler Sonne (* 17/1 1917, ✝ 29/4 1992), chief psychiatrist.

Preface and author signature.

Barfod often illustrated his publications, e.g. the paper on sprained ankles (Journal for doctors, 1948) and the textbook 'Primær behandling af håndlæsioner' (several editions in the 70'es). The drawing talent was exploited already during his studies for the medical journal 'Bugpressen' where the signature - as always when not strictly professional - was a naked foot (the literal translation of "bar fod").

Barfod became candidate January 1944. As a young doctor he worked at a Copenhagen hospital where childen were placed side by side with adult patients (at that time there were no paediatric departments). He became frustrated that there was nothing to keep the children occupied, and thus he and Sonne decided to write a book on paper folding. Tbey paid for the printing themselves.

The book is anonymous. The preface is unsigned, though there is a vignette displaying a smiling sun with a naked boot ("Sonne" is literally German for "sun"). Barfod told his children that the reason for the anonymity was not modesty, but that the chief doctors would not be happy with the employees wasting their time on such foolishness!

It is unknown from where the two authors had knowledge about and interest in origami.

The models

The book contains 31 models (*only 1947): Troll cat, dice (water bomb), glider, swallow plane, buzzer, flapping bird, frog, hat, boat, airplane, airplane nose, box, bag, wind mill, Tunesian wallet, trucker wallet, ladder, cataran, box, gondola, banger, mitre, salt cellar, ferry, war ship, American pocket battle ship*, bird beak*, water lily*, Chinese junk, Fröbel star.

Several of these models are neither in Harbin's Origami 1 nor in David Petty's Model of the Month list of traditional models. However, with the exception of a couple of models (the American pocket batttle ship and maybe the air plane nose), the rest of the models look traditional.

Crease pattern for bird base.

The diagrams

The diagrams are hand drawn, with hatching to indicate 3D shape. They are pretty clear, with supplementary text as needed, and surprisingly modern in their expression.

Of course the notation predates the Yoshizawa-Harbin-Randlet system of today. In fact, they are more like before/after images. However, dashed lines indicate valley folds, and full lines mountain folds, a distinction that would be immediately understood in today's diagramming.

Typical diagram.

Influence on origami in Denmark

Surely, lots of people now in their 60's, 70's and 80's learned origami from this book. However, we do not know how many. What we do know, is that the next book with some origami is Jensen1956, and not until Harbin1970 did we get a qualified origami book again.

What I do know, is that the first time I saw the book, I wondered why so many of the models were so well-known to me from my earliest childhood. Of course, the flapping bird is a classic, but what about e.g. the buzzer, the swallow plane, and the ladder? Turns out that my father, Ole Dybkjær, used the book during 3 weeks at Ålborg Hospital in November 1947, the first fortnight with the leg fixated.

Thus this book indirectly caused me to learn origami as a child, and hence later the creation of papirfoldning.dk in 2006 and the society foldning.dk in 2010!

Thanks to

Sverre Barfod, Mikael Sonne, Jesper Corneliussen, and Ole Dybkjær for contributing to the above. If the reader knows more about the book, please contact me.

Pictures

The troll cat.

Cube.

Glider.

Flying swallow.

Cup.

Buzzer.

Flapping bird.

Frog (jumping).

Long-legged frog.

Hat.

Boat.

Airplane.

Airplane tip.

Tub.

Bag.

Wind mill.

Tunesian wallet.

Trucker wallet.

Ladder.

Double boat (catamaran).

Box.

Gondola.

Banger.

Mitre.

Salt cellar.

Ferry.

Battle ship.

American pocket battle ship.

Bird beak.

Lotus flower.

Chinese junk (boat).

Fröbel star.

Folderier

(anonym) 1944 *
Dansk Lyskopi A/S
København
54
223mm x 183mm
28
general
Stregtegninger
Anonym1944

War ship

** Elaboration of the ferry. See also fold of the week 2007-46.
Traditional
Square 8 pcs.
diagram [Anonym1944]
***. typical of the time
krigsskib02
Boat

Ferry

** The folding with 3 blintzes is in family with e.g. [#yakko:Yakko]. See also fold of the week 2007-46.
Traditional
Square
diagram
***. clean design
faerge01
Boat

Water lily

** Widespread napkin fold.
Traditional
Square
diagram
****. easy and nice
åkande01
Flower

Cat head

** Draw eyes and whiskers for a final touch. In stiff paper there is some after-correction.
Traditional
Square
diagram
****
kat03
Animal, Action

Waterbomb

** Fill with water ... and THROW!
Traditional
Square
diagram
***. simply fun
waterbomb
Shap

Flapping bird

**
Traditional.
Square
diagram [Harbin1970]
*****. Simple and yet fascinating action.
fugl00
Bird, Action

Newspaper hat

**
Traditional
newspaper Rectangle
pdf
rf2009-avishat
Clothes

Newspaper boat

** This boat is mentioned in Hans Christian Andersen's 'Den standhaftige tinsoldat' 1838.
Traditional
newspaper Rectangle
diagram
***. simpel and classical model
avisbaad01
Boat

Airplane, fast

* Should be known in most Danish schools.
Traditional
A-format
diagram
***. long and straight glide
pilefly
Airplane

Catamaran (multiform)

** Nice boat. See fold of the week 2007-12.
Traditional
Square
diagram [Harbin1970]
***. simple and nice
multiform06
Boat

Gondola (multiform)

** Splendid boat, straight out of Venezia. Others may call it a Chinese junk. See fold of the week 2007-12.
Traditional
Square
diagram [Harbin1970]
****. simple and nice
multiform07
Boat

Banger 1

* Wellknown from the school.
Hold in the corner and pull quickly down. The inner layer will pop out with a sharp sound.
Traditional
A-format
diagram [Rønholt1990]
***. fun effect
knalder01
Shap

Salt cellar

* Simple model with a sculptural effect. Turn bottom up, and it becomes the well-known fortune teller.
Traditional
Square
diagram [Harbin1970]
***. good
saltkar01
Interior

War ship

** As the ferry with a single change. See also fold of the week 2007-46.
Traditional
Square
diagram
***. clean design
krigsskib01
Boat

Boat

** Compare with the other boats. This one fits well with the slip that is left over when making a square from A4. See also ugens fold 2007-46.
Traditional
2x1 Rectangle
diagram
***
baad01
Boat

Christmas star

** From four strips, more woven than folded. Attributed to Fröbel (Germany) who in the 1800-hundreds widely applied paperfolding in pedagogical context. In Denmark it is closely related to Christmas and so widespread that there is an abundance of readymade 'start strips' in the shops.
Traditional
Strip 4 pcs.
diagram
****. popular model
stjerne01
Decoration, Xmas

Origami - Japansk papirfoldning

Robert Harbin 1970 **
Notabene
København
[em Teach yourself origami. The art of paperfolding.], aka Origami 1, England, 1968
87-7490-007-2
165
183mm x 131mm
34
general
Klare
Nej
Harbin1970

Leg med papir

Thea Bank Jensen 1956 *
Høst og søn
København
1962
48
179mm x 185mm
17
papercraft
Primitive, men ok
Sort-hvide
Jensen1956