The Public Paperfolding History Project

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Last updated 6/12/2023

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Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch
 
'Des Kindes Erste Beschaftigungsbuch' by E Barth and W Niederley was first published in Bielefeld and Leipzig, presumably in 1876, which is the date of the Foreword. This book is not a Froebelian manual, but a follow-up, aimed at younger children, to the author's 'Das deutschen Knaben Handwerksbusch' which had been published in 1872.

This page is based on an 1887 printing of the 1886 second edition, a copy of which can be found online here.

The foreword to the 1886 second edition states that it contains 'a few additions'. I have not seen a copy of the 1876 first edition and so have not been able to compare the editions to discover what these few additions were. However, a Dutch translation, 'De Jonge Werkman: Het Vlechten' by Elise Van Calcar was published by A.W. Sijthoff in Leiden in 1881 and contains all the paperfolding material present in the 1886 second edition except for the Woven Basket and the Harmonika/ Witch's Ladder. It is therefore logical to assume that these two items were added to the 1886 second edition but that all the other material was included in the 1876 first edition.

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Analysis

Chapter 1: Flechtarbeiten (wickerwork - ie paper weaving)

Paper Tinsel

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The Woven Basket

(Added for the 1886 second edition)

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The Woven Cross

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The Froebel Star

(used as a Christmas Tree decoration)

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Chapter 2: Das Falten

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Part A: Paper folding

How to cut a square from rectangular paper

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How to find the centre of a square

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The Salt Cellar

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The Cross

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The Shirt

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The Jacket

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The Trousers

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The Doll

(made by adding the Mitre to the Jacket and Trousers)

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The Chair

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The Table

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The Boat with Sail

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The Windmill

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The Double Hulled Boat

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The Boat with Fish Box

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The Portfolio

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The Junk Box

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The Looking Glass

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The Chinese Junk

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The Bellows

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The Puzzle Purse

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The Newspaper Hat

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The Corner Wall Pocket

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Coin Vanish Trick

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The Paper Boat

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The Pencil Case

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The Dart

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The Wallet

The Wallet is folded from a 3x2 rectangle.

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The Single and Double Barrelled Bangers

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Pleated Lampshade

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The Chicken Wire Letterfold

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Part B: Serviette Folding:

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The Cross

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The Lotus

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Miscellaneous designs

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The Fan

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The Swan

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Chapter 4: Das Aufschneiden (the cutting ie fold and cut designs)

The Fold and Slit Paper Frill

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The Fold and Slit Chevron Trellis

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The Fold and Slit Chevron Cross

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How to Climb Through a Playing Card

(This is the correct template for this design but since I cannot read German I am not certain it is the effect being described)

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The Fold and Slit Trellis

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The Fold and Slit Cage

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The Cut and Fold Windmill

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The Wind Wheel

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The Slit and Assemble Sphere

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The Catherine of Cleves Box

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How to make a regular hexagon

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There are also instructions on how to make various animals that could be characterised as fold, cut and fold designs, of which the elephant below is a good example.

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Chapter 7: Kinderspiele

Part A: Der Soldat im Freien (the soldier in the outdoors)

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which contains ...

Der Harmonika / The Witch's Ladder

(Added for the 1886 second edition)

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