Main Index Page

Last updated 18/09/2025

x

This page acts as a chronology of the development of the various types of Folds of Beauty.

The most specific information we have about the chronology of the development of Folds of Beauty comes from Eleonore Heerwart's 'Course of Paperfolding', which was published in 1895.

**********

As far as I know, Froebel's original Folds of Beauty were developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold, which is made by blintzing a square, turning it over and blintzing it again, and, according to Heerwart, also from the doubly blintzed square (no turning over required). The Double Blintz Basic Fold is double-sided, one side having four triangular flaps and the other four square flaps. Froebel's original Folds of Beauty were developed from both.

After his death in 1852 Froebel's followers developed Folds of Beauty from other groundforms developed from squares, notably the simple blintzed square and the Windmill Base. As time went by, Folds of Beauty were also developed from equilateral triangles, hexagons, pentagons, octagons, cut circles and oblongs.

Froebel did not only conceive of Folds of Beauty as individual decorative designs, but also as tiles, or as he called them 'Getafel formen' (patterns of inlaid wood), which could be laid edge to edge to produce larger patterns / tessellations.

Froebel conceived of the folding of Folds of Beauty as a creative occupation rather than one in which children produced designs taught to them by their teacher. Once the child had learned how patterns could be created from the groundform they were then encouraged to create new patterns for themselves.

It is also worth noting that, according to Heerwart, Froebel recommended that children should first fold a quantity of groundforms and only then proceed to invent new designs from them:

Information about Folds of Beauty published in a Froebelian context can be found on this page. Information about similar patterns published in a non-Froebelian context can be found on the following pages:

Decorations Folded from Squares

Decorations Folded from Oblongs

Decorations Folded from Equilateral Triangles

Decorations Folded from Hexagons

Decorations Folded from Pentagons

Decorations Folded from Octagons

Decorations Folded from Circles

**********

Chronology of developments

Undated

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty developed from the 60/120 rhombus (although Heerwart says from oblongs) were introduced by Madame de Portugall (no date given).

**********

Prior to 1952

Froebel himself developed Folds of Beauty from the Double Blintz Basic Form and, according to Heerwart, from the doubly blintzed square.

**********

1861/2

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty developed from hexagons were introduced by Madame de Portugall in 1861/2.

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty developed from the singly blintzed square were introduced by Eleonore Heerwart in 1862.

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty developed from equilateral triangles were introduced by Eleonore Heerwart in 1862.

**********

1869

Folds of Beauty developed from the Windmill Base appear in 'Der Kindergarten' by Hermann Goldammer, which was published in 1869.

**********

1870

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty from cut circles were introduced by Fraulain Margarete Kroger of Hamburg in 1870.

**********

1875

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty developed from octagons were introduced by Eleonore Heerwart (probably in 1875).

**********

1880

According to Heerwart, Folds of Beauty developed from the pentagon were introduced by Eleonore Heerwart in 1880.

**********

Folds of Beauty in Europe and the Americas

There is a separate page for Forms of Beauty (in Japanese publications)

1859

As far as I know Froebelian Forms of Beauty, called 'figures artistique', first appear in the histporical record in 'Manuel pratique des jardins d'enfants de Frédéric Froebel', which was compiled by J F Jacobs and published by F Claassen in Brussells and L Hachette and Cie in Paris in 1859.

Plate LIII shows four Forms of Beauty developed from the Double Blintz Basic Form, two from one side and two from the other (pictures 10 to 13).

**********

1861

'Das Paradies der Kindheit' (The Paradise of Childhood) by Lina Morgenstern, which was published in Leipzig in 1861, contains a chapter on Das Papierfalten which briefly refers to 'Schonheitsformen' (Forms of Beauty), and provides a list which translates, roughly, as 'the Simple Flower, the Star, the Rose, the Filled Rose, the Rosette etc.' Unfortunately there are no illustrations to allow us to identify what forms these names were attached to.

**********

1862

'Das Frobel'sche Faltblatt' (Frobel's Folding Sheet) ) by August Kohler, which was published by Hermann Bohlau in Weimar in 1862, is a is a brief guide to the use of paperfolding to teach geometrical concepts in the first two years of elementary school. The main sequence begins with the unfolded square and ends with the Double Blintz Basic Form, at which point the author comments, roughly, 'We finally get the basic form ... from which one can learn the most varied forms of life and beauty ...' However, no examples of such forms are given in the book.

In a footnote on the same page the author refers to, 'Miss D Breymann in Wahum (who) has kindly made her well-thought-out course on the forms of beauty available to me.'

**********

1869

'Der Kindergarten' by Hermann Goldammer, which was published by Habel in Berlin in 1869, contains two plates which illustrate 'Schonheitsformen' (Forms of Beauty).

Plate C shows designs developed from the Double Blintz Basic Form.

Plate B shows designs which appear to be developed from the Windmill (18 to 21) or from the Windmill Base (22 to 25 and 27). Number 26 appears to be an anomaly and I am not sure how this design is to be produced.

**********

The same designs are to be found in 'Paradise of Childhood' by Edward Wiebe, which was published by Milton, Bradley and Company in Springfield, Massachusetts, also in 1869.

**********

1873

'Exercices et Travaux pour les Enfants Selon la Méthode et les Procédés de Pestalozzi et de Froebel' by Fanny and Charles Delon, which was published by Librairie Hachette in Paris in 1873, contains illustrations of several Folds of Beauty developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold:

21 to 23. Patterns developed from one side of the Double Blintz Basic Form.

**********

24 and 25. Patterns developed from the other side.

**********

Pictures 1 to 26 of Plate XXIII of 'Die Praxis Des Kindergartens' by August Koehler, which was published by Herman Bohlau in Weimar in 1873, shows Folds of Beauty developed from the two sides of the Double Blintz Basic Form.

(Note that Pictures 27 and 28 appear to show designs developed from the Windmill Base and the doubly blintzed square.)

**********

1874

The third edition of 'Der Kindergarten' by Hermann Goldammer, which was published by Carl Babel in Berlin in 1874, contains three plates picturing various Forms of Beauty. Plate 41 series A shows forms developed from one side of the Double Blintz Basic Form and Plate 41 series B shows forms developed from the other.

**********

'Spiel und Arbeit' by Hugo Elm, which was published by Verlag und Drud der Otto Spamer in Leipzig in 1874 contains two plates showing Folds of Beauty developed from the two sides of the Double Blintz Basic Form.

**********

1880

'The Kindergarten Principle' by Mary J Lyschinska, which was published in London in 1880 by Wm Isbister Ltd contains a small section devoted to Forms of Beauty under the name of 'Symmetrical Forms'. However this is largely devoted to a description of two groundforms, one of which is the Windmill Base, and another which is called The Double Windmill Ground Form. No examples of actual Folds of Life are given.

**********

1882

'The Kindergarten Guide' by Maria Kraus Boelte and John Kraus, which was first published in single volume form by E. Steiger and Company in New York in 1882, shows how to fold 'forms of symmetry' from several basic folds, including the blintzed square (called the single groundform), the Double Blintz Basic Fold (unnamed), the double groundform (the triply blintzed square) and the tablecloth groundform (the Windmill Base). Folds of Life are also developed from the equilateral triangle. Folds of Life are also treated as tiles in order to create decorative tessellations.

**********

1883

'Der Kindergarten' by A S Fischer, which was published by Alfred Holder in Wien in 1883, contains a plate showing various Folds of Life designs. I have not yet analysed these.

**********

1887

Part 2 'Die Praxis' of 'Theoretisches und praktisches Handbuch der Fröbelschen Erziehungslehre' by Bertha von Marentholtz-Bülow, which was published by George H Wigand in Kassel in 1887 contains details of some Folds of Beauty developed from the Windmill and the Windmill Base

**********

'Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire' by M. Coste et J. Lapassade, which was published by Lafon, Vve Ribaut et Tonnet in Pau and A Jeande in Paris in 1887 contains instructions for making Folds of Beauty from the blintzed square, the Double Blintz Basic Fold and the Windmill Base.

**********

'Cours de Travail Manuel (Pour les Garcons) - Premiere Partie - Cours Elementaire' by A Planty, which was published by Gedalge Jeune in Paris in 1887, contains instructions for folding several Folds of Beauty from the Windmill base

**********

1890

Diagrams for several simple 'rosaces' developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold appear in 'Les travaux manuels a l'ecole primaire a l'usage des ecoles de garcons' by Dauzat and Deramond, which was published by Alcide, Picard et Kaan in Paris in 1890.

**********

1891

'Education of Head and Hand' by Gabriel Bamberger, which was published by A Flanagan in Chicago in 1891, is a compilation of six leaflets about manual work in schools. The first leaflet is about how to fold Folds of Beauty from the Double Blintz Basic Fold and the Windmill Base.

**********

1892

'Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire' by Jully & Rocheron, which was published by Librairie Classique Eugene Belin in Paris in 1892 contains instructions for folding Folds of Life from the Windmill Base.

**********

1893

'Practical Suggestions for Kindergartners, Primary Teachers and Mothers' by Jeannette R Gregory was published by C B Woodward and Co in St Louis in 1893. It provides a programme of work for each of the 40 weeks of the kindergarten year, many of which include paperfolding elements, including some Folds of Beauty, which are derived either from the Double Blintz Basic Fold (here called the Salt Cellar ground form) or the Windmill Base (here called the Tablecloth Ground Form).

*********

'Paper and Scissors in the Schoolroom' by Emily Weaver, which was published by Milton Bradley Company in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1893 contains several pages explaining various Folds of Beauty (here called Ornamental Frames) developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold (here called the Ground Form A) or the Windmill Base (here called the Ground Form B).

**********

1894

'Jeux et Occupations Pour les Petits: Guide des Mères et des Institutrices' by Henriette Suzanne Brés, which was published by Librairie Classique Fernand Nathan in Paris in 1894 contains illustrations of designs developed from the blintzed square and the Double Blintz Basic Form.

Patterns from the blintzed square

***

Patterns from the Double Blintz Basic Form

**********

'Old Glory: The Flag of Our Country: A Study in History and a Lesson in Paperfolding: Also Some Easy Lessons in Cutting and Folding' by Dr Albert Elias Maltby, which was published in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania in 1894, contains a section about Folds of Beauty, which are developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold (here called Froebel's Square or the handkerchief box) or the Windmill Base (here called 'the tablecloth form').

**********

1895

Eleonore Heerwart's 'Course in Paperfolding', which was published by Charles and Dible in London and Glasgow in 1895, contains many plates illustrating Forms of Beauty folded from squares, hexagons, equilateral triangles, octagons, cut circles and pentagons. This work also gives a good deal of information about Froebel's original intentions for the occupation of Falten, and especially of Schonheitsformen.

Specifically:

Plate VI and VII show Forms of Beauty developed from the blintzed square. The author says that she introduced this type of form in 1862.

Plate VII shows Forms of Beauty developed from a version of Kohler's Groundform.

Plate IX shows Forms of Beauty developed from either side of the Doubly Blintzed Basic Form and from the doubly blintzed square.

Plate X shows Forms of Beauty developed from the Windmill and from forms intermediate between the Windmill and the Doubly Blintzed Basic Form.

Plates XI and XII show Forms of Beauty developed from the Windmill Base.

Plates XIII to XV show Forms of Beauty developed from octagons. These were introduced by the author (probably in 1875)

Plates XVII to XIX show Forms of Beauty developed from equilateral triangles. These were introduced by the author in 1862.

Plate XX shows Forms of Beauty developed from hexagons. These were introduced by Madame de Portugall in 1861/2.

Plate XXI shows Forms of Beauty developed from the 60/120 rhombus (althought the author says from oblongs). These were introduced by Madame de Portugall at an unknown date.

Plate XXIII shows Forms of Beauty developed from the pentagon. These were introduced by the author in 1880.

Plates XXIV to XXVII show Forms of Beauty developed from cut circles by Fraulain Margarete Kroger of Hamburg in 1870.

Plate XXX and XXXi show Getafel Formen produced from square, triangular and hexagonal designs.

**********

A sample book of Froebelian paperfolds and papercuts etc made by by Laura B Thompson in 1895 contains contains a few fairly standard Folds of Beauty folded from the Windmill Base. In some cases parts of the finished designs have been cut away to create crosses or stars (as suggested in Part Two of 'The Kindergarten Guide').

**********

'L'enseignement manuel dans les ecoles du degre primaire (garcons)' by Rene Leblanc, which was published by Librairie Larousse in Paris in 1895, contains instructions for folding several Folds of Life from the Windmill Base and from the hexagon.

**********

'Geometrie, Dessin et Travaux Manuels - Cours Moyen', produced under the direction of M E. Cazes, which was published by Librairie Ch. Delagrave in Paris in 1895, contains instructions for folding several Folds of Life from the Windmill Base and from the hexagon.

**********

1898

'Travaux Recreatifs Pour les Enfants de 4 a 10 Ans' by Marie Koenig, which was published by Librairie Hachette et Cie in Paris in 1898 contains two pages of craft activities using square decorations derived from the Windmill Base.

**********

1900

'Introduccion a la Ensenaza Practica del Sistema de Kindergarten' by Ernesto Steiger, which was published by E Steiger and Co in New York in 1900, contains a section about Folds of Beauty, which are developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold or the Windmill Base

.

**********

1909

A number of square patterns developed from the Double Blintz Basic Form appear in 'Petit Manuel de Travaux d'Amateurs' by H de Graffigny, which was published by Collection A L Guyot in Paris in 1909.

**********

1910

Part 2 'Das Flechten' of 'Die Frobelschen Beschaftigungen' by Marie Muller-Wunderlich, which was published by Friedrich Brandstetter in Leipzig in 1910, includes illustrations of Folds of Beauty developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold (Schonheitsformen A), the Double Blintz Basic Fold (Schonheitsformen B), a groundform which is halfway between the Double Blintz Basic Fold and the Windmill Base (Vermittlungsformen C) and the equilateral triangle.

**********

There is a section devoted to 'Das Falten von Sternen. in 'Allerlei Papierarbeiten' by Hildergard Gierke and Alice Kuczynski, which was published by Drud und Verlag B G Teubner in Leipzig and Berlin in 1910. The written instructions are not very clear and the illustrations lacking in detail, howevere, it seems to me that this sectiony describes the process of making Folds of Beauty from the blintzed square, the Double Blintz Basic Fold and the Windmill Base.

**********

Folds of Beauty developed from the Double Blintz Basic Fold are referred to as 'Frames' in 'Educational Handwork' by T B Kidner, which was published by The Educational Book Company Limited in Toronto in 1910.

**********

1913

Folds of Beauty from the blintzed square, the Double Blintz Basic Fold and the Windmill Base appear in 'Trabajo Manual' by C Champy Alvear, which was published by Cabaut y Cia in Buenos Aires in 1913.

Designs from the blintzed square

***

Designs from Double Blintz Basic Fold

**********

1914

A number of basic patterns folded from the blintzed square (from the syllabus for Grado Primero) and the Windmill Base (from the syllabus for Grado Segundo appear in 'El Trabajo Manual en la Escuela' by Félix Martí Alpera, which was published by Libreria de los Sucesores de Hernando in Madrid in 1914.

**********

Instructions for seriving Folds of Beauty from the blintzed square and the Double Blintz Basic Fold appeaqr in 'Plegado' by Rufino Yapur, which was published by Editores Independencia in Buenos Aires in 1939.

**********