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Last updated 25/4/2025

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This page is being used to collect material about the life and paperfolding of Adolfo Cerceda aka Carlos Corda and Don Alvan. It is not intended to be in any sense a complete biography. 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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Introduction

Ismael Adolfo Cerceda was born in Buenos Aires on 13th of April, 1923 and died on 25th July, 1979. He was a professional knife-thrower and magician who worked under a number of different names including Don Alvan and Carlos Corda.

He was married twice, first to Martha Rossi, in around 1956, who was his partner in his knife-throwing act, then, in 1968, to France Larrosa, who also became his professional stage partner.

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Photo of Adolfo Cerceda and his Macaw reproduced from 'The Folding Money Book' - see entry for 1963

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Sources

There is a chapter about his life in 'Fascinante Papiroflexia' by Vicente Palacios, which was published by Miguel A Salvatella in Barcelona in 1984. An English translation is available here.

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Chronology

1961

In 'The Art of Origami' by Samuel Randlett, which was published by E P Dutton in New York in 1961, Cerceda is credited with having originated the Double Blintz Preliminary Fold (from a 2x1 rectangle).

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Volume 2 Issue 2 of 'The Origamian' for Autumn 1961 contains diagrams for an Eagle by Adolfo Cerceda.

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1962

Volume 2 Issue 3 of 'The Origamian' for Spring / Summer 1962 contained a brief profile of Adolfo Cerceda, mainly concentrating on his knife throwing act. The same issue contained a letter from Fred Rohm lauding Adolpho's peacock over Yoshizawa's:

And contained diagrams for Cerceda's 'Moor on Horseback', which is dated to 1957.

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1963

Cerceda's name was used as the author of 'The Folding Money Book', published in 1963, for which he selected the designs and drew the diagrams.

Only two of Cerceda's own designs appeared in the work, a Frame with Doors and a Peacock, both folded from dollar bills.

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Cerceda's 'Sofa' appears in 'Party Lines' by Robert Harbin, which was published by the Olbourne Book Co in London in 1963.

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'The Best of Origami' by Samuel Randlett, which was published by E P Dutton in New York in 1963 and by Faber and Faber Ltd in London in 1964, contained the following biographical details:

And diagrams for a number of Cerceda's original designs:

Sofa

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Macaw

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Hen

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Flamingo

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Pheasant

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White Heron

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Crane

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Parakeet

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Rhinocerous

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1964

'Secrets of Origami', by Robert Harbin, which was published by Oldbourne Book Company in London in 1964, contained diagrams for a number of Cerceda's designs:

Everyman Mask (said to be after Akira Yoshizawa)

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Adolpho's Angel

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The Moor on Horseback

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Lion ( a compound design)

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Adolfo's Pig (a compound design)

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Adolfo's Peacock

From a 2x1 rectangle

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1967

Vol 7: Issue 3 of 'The Origamian' for Autumn 1967 contained diagrams for a Fox by Cerceda, which was developed from a base by Neal Elias.

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1968

Vol 8: Issues 1 and 2 of 'The Origamian' for Spring and Summer 1968 contained a profile of Ligia Montoya, 'Ligia Montoya: Woman and Artist', written by Gershon Legman, which contained mention of Adolfo Cerceda.

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1969

Controversy arose over three designs that Robert Harbin had included in 'Secrets of Origami, the Everyman Mask, Adolpho's Pig and Adolfo's Peacock. 'The Origamian' of Summer 1969 contained a letter from Robert Harbin which explained that Yoshizawa had complained about the inclusion of these designs in the book.

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Vol 9: Issue 3 of 'The Origamian' for Autumn 1969 contained a letter from Adolpho Cerceda responding to Robert Harbin's letter in Volume 9, issue 2.

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Vol 9: Issue 4 of 'The Origamian' for Winter 1969 contains a letter from Samuel Randlett commenting on Adolpho Cerceda's letter in Vol 9, issue 3.

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1970

An article in the issue of 'Selection du Reader's Digest' for December 1970 made mention of TV programs made by Jean-Claude Meunier and Carlos Corda, the first series of which was broadcast during the Mardi Gras holidays in 1970, ie around February 10th, with a second series in production. Note that the name 'Jean-Claude Meunier' is an error for 'Jean-Charles Meunier'. My thanks to Michel Grand for pointing this out.

Inter alia this says, roughly translated: 'In search of a wider audience, a young filmmaker, M Jean-Claude Meunier, decided last year to produce a series of 13 programs for television devoted to the practice of origami. Thanks to his initiative, during the 1970 Mardi Gras holidays, viewers were able to follow, every day for six minutes, the different stages of a folding presented by the Argentniian Carlos Corda, a great paperfolder.

The success was immediate. 200 letters received, two of which were signed by a whole class of schoolchildren. Most correspondents were educators curious to know more about Japanese art. Carlos Corda and J-C Meunier got back to work. The first shapes his little wonders in the paper while the second films over his shoulder. A new series of 13 programs of nine minutes each will be broadcast during the Christmas holidays.'

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1971

Adolfo Cerceda mentioned the second series of 13 episodes in a letter to the Editor of 'The Origamian' which was published in Vol 10 Issue 2,3 and 4 in around August 1971, although it was probably written much earlier in the year. For 'blintz vase' read 'blintz base'.

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