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Last updated 29/9/2025

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A full copy of the work can be accessed online here.

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Authorship

According to 'The Life of the Baroness Marenholz-Bulow' (available online here) this work was 'a translation, with some additions' of 'Manuel pratique des jardins d'enfants de Frédéric Froebel' by J F Jacobs, which was published by F Claassen in Brussells and L Hachette and Cie in Paris in 1859.

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Editions and translations

A second edition was published in 1872 and can be accessed online here. The paperfolding material in this second edition appears to me to be identical to the material in the first edition.

A third 'revised and enlarged' edition was published in 1874.

A translation of the first edition into English appeared in 1869, the same year as the original work was published, as 'Paradise of Childhood' by Edward Wiebe.

A translation of Book 1 of the 1874 third edition into French by Louis Fournier was published in 1877 as 'Le jardins d'enfants, dons et occupations'.

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Analysis

Das Falten

Plate A shows Froebel's method of cutting four squares from a rectangle and various simple geometrical paperfolds.

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Lebensformen (Forms of Life)

The text calls picture 16 'the basic form of a simple series of life forms' (lebensformen in the original german) but that 'It is impossible to give an exact description of the manner in which they are folded'.

The author gives a brief list of some of these life forms. There are no illustrations to help identify them.

Ein tischtuch (a tablecloth) - probably The Tablecloth

Ein Vogel (a bird) - probably the Cocotte / Pajarita

Ein Seegelboot (a sail-boat) - probably the Boat with Sail

Einen Doppelkahn (a double canoe) - probably the Double Boat

Ein Salznapfchen (a salt cellar) - probably the Salt Cellar

Ein Blume (a flower) - probably the Flat Flower

Ein Hemdchen (a chemise) - probably the Collar

Einen Drachen (a dragon) - not identifiable

Ein Windmuhle (a windmill) - probably The Windmill

Einen Tisch (a table) - probably The Table

Eine Cigarrentashe (a cigar-holder) - probably The Cigar Case

Einen Blumentopf (a flower-pot) - probably the Vase

Einen Doppelkasten (a double box) - probably the Double Fishbox / The Portfolio

Einen Grossen Kasten ( a big box) - probably the Large Box

Ein Boot (a boat) - probably the Gondola

Ein Boot mit Banken (a boat with seats) - this may possibly be a reference to the Chinese Junk which is also included in the second list.

There is also a second list of forms, also lacking illustrations, which the author says are mentioned in the manual. The manual in question is, however, not identified.

Den Strickbeutel (the knitting-pouch) - probably the Puzzle Purse. (The translation 'knitting-pouch' comes from Edward Wiebe's 'Paradise of Childhood', also published in 1869 and which is closely based on this book. The 1874 edition of 'Der Kindergarten' contains an illustration of den Strickbeutel which seems to be the Puzzle Purse.)

Den Cylinder (the top hat) - probably the Hat / Shirt

Die Stiefel (the boots) - probably the Pair of Boots

Den Hut (the cap) - not identifiable, although possibly the Hat / Shirt turned upside down.

Das Kreuz (the cross) - probably The Cross

Die Beinkleider (the trousers) - probably The Trousers

Das Geschlossene Kasten (the closed box) - probably the Blintz Box / Masu (the design is illustrated in the 1874 edition)

Den Rahmen (the frame) - probably The Picture Frame

Die Gondel (the gondola) - probably The Chinese Junk

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Schonheitsformen (Forms of Beauty)

The author states that the simple basic form for the life forms is also the base for the forms of beauty (Schonheitsformen in the original German), some of which are shown in pictures 17 to 36.

Plate B:

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Pictures 18 to 21 show patterns developed from The Windmill

Picture 18 shows the result of folding the flaps of the Windmill form inwards.

The shading is misleading. There is no colour change.

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Picture 19 is obtained by folding the front flaps in half.

The shading is misleading. There is no colour change.

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Picture 20 is obtained by then opening out and squashing the front layers.

The shading is misleading. There is no colour change.

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Picture 21 is obtained by folding the new front layer in half.

If the reverse of the paper is a different colour a genuine colour-change will be obtained here.

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Pictures 22 to 25 and 27 show patterns developed from The Windmill Base.

Picture 22 shows Four Points

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Picture 23 shows Four Kites

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I am not sure how the patterns shown in pictures 24 and 25 are to be obtained.

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Picture 27 shows a version of Four Points in which the flaps have been folded forwards instead of backwards

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I am not sure how the pattern shown in Picture 26 is to be obtained.

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Plate C:

Picture 28 shows one side of the Double Blintz Basic Form.

Pictures 29 to 36 show a variety of patterns that can be developed from this side of this form.

The dark and light blue shading represent the same side of the paper.

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Verschnuren (Lacing)

Plates A and B show some examples of designs that can be made by folding and interlacing one or two paper strips.

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Flechten (Weaving)

Plate F shows some examples of patterns and shapes that can be woven from doubled strips including the Woven Cross.

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Aufschneiden und Aufkleben (Cutting out and Mounting)

Ausschneiden Plates A, B and C show a variety of ways in which to cut a square folded into an eight-layered right angle isosceles triangle to create patterns with eight-fold symmetry.

Ausschneiden Plates D and E show a variety of ways in which to cut into a hexagon folded into a six-layered equilateral triangle to create patterns with six-fold symmetry.

Aufkleben Plates A, B and C show the patterns that result from some of these cuts when the square or hexagon is opened out.

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Selected Pages

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