The Public Paperfolding History Project

Main Index Page

Last updated 2/3/2024

x

Trisection / Division into Thirds and Fifths
 
This page is being used to collect information about the history of the technique of dividing into thirds and fifths by folding, and of designs that depend on the ability to make such a division. 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.

**********

Division into Thirds

In Japan

1770

This print by Suzuki Harunobu (1724 -1770) from Vol 4 of 'Ehon seiro bijin awase' shows a square of paper folded into thirds in both directions, presumably in order to serve as a wrapper.

**********

In Europe and the Americas

1511

A Corporal folded into thirds in both directions is shown in Albrecht Durer's engraving of the 'Mass of St Gregory' which dates from 1511 (the date is in the chest at bottom left).

**********

Pinwheel / Puzzle Purse / Thread Container / Menko

1734 onwards in Japan / 1769 onwards in Western Europe / USA

**********

1888 onwards

There is reference to dividing a sheet of paper into thirds by folding in the 'Teacher's Manual for Prang's Shorter Course in Form Study and Drawing', by John S Clark, Mary Dana Hicks and Walter S Perry was published by The Prang Educational Company in Boston, New York and Chicago in 1888.

This trisection technique also appears in:

'Part 1 for Prang's Complete Course in Form Study and Drawing Books I and II' by John S Clark, Mary Dana Hicks and Walter S Perry, which was published by the The Prang Educational Company in Boston, New York and Chicago in 1890

**********

1893

'The Prang Primary Course in Art Education: Part 2: The Second Primary Year' by Mary Dana Hicks and Josephine C Locke, which was published by The Prang Educational Company in Boston in 1893, uses estimated division into thirds to facilitate drawing a Greek cross.

**********

1940

'At Home Tonight' by Herbert McKay, which was published by Oxford University Press in London, New York and Toronto in 1940, gives a way of dividing a strip of paper (referred to as a straight edge) into thirds by comparison by eye that two lengths are equal.

**********

Division into Fifths

In Europe and the Americas

c1929

Booklet 4 of 'Trabajos Manuales Salvatella - Plegado de figuras de papel', which was published by Editorial Miguel A Salvatera in Barcelona in or around 1929, contains diagrams for 'El Cubo', a one piece cube folded from a square divided into a 5x5 grid, and 'El Sillon', a chair folded from a square divded into a 5x5 grid.

**********

1940

A method of finding a location point to allow division into fifths can be found in 'El Plegado y Cartonaje en la Escuela Primaria' by Antonio M Luchia and Corina Luciani de Luchia, which was published by Editorial Kapelusz in Buenos Aires in 1940

***********

1966

'The Origamian' Vol 6: Issue 2 of Summer 1966 includes this method of dividing a square into thirds.

**********