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Last updated 7/8/2025

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1863

The first Paper Alphabet that I am aware of appears in 'De Kleine Papierwerkers 1: Wat men van een stukje papier al maken kan: Het vouwen' (The Small Paperwork 1: What one can make from a piece of paper: Folding) by Elise Van Calcar, which was published by K H Schadd in Amsterdam in 1863. The letter Q is not included.

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1887

Instructions for folding a small number of letters from paper strips appear in '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.

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Instructions for folding a small number of letters from paper strips appear in 'Cours de Travail Manuel (Pour les Garcons) - Premiere Partie - Cours Elementaire' by A Planty, which was published by Gedalge Jeune in Paris in 1887.

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1889

Instructions for folding a small number of pleated letters and numbers appear in 'Jeux et Travaux Enfantins - Première partie: Le Monde en Papier' by Marie Koenig and Albert Durand, which was published by Librairie Classique A. Jeande in Paris in 1889.

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1891

There are references to letters and numbers folded from paper strips in the 'Bulletin de la Societe de Protection des Apprentis', an official document issued by the Societe de Protection des Apprentis et des Enfants Employes par les Manufactures in Paris in 1891 but no illustrations are given.

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1892

The name 'Louis' made from letters folded from paper strips appears in 'Le Travail Manuel a L'ecole Primaire' by Jully & Rocheron, which was published by Librairie Classique Eugene Belin in Paris in 1892.

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1893

A full alphabet folded from paper strips in a similar way appears in 'L'Annee Preparatoire de Travail Manuel' by M P Martin, which was published by Armand Collin & Cie in Paris in 1893. The letters are K, W and Y are not included.

The same book also includes the numbers 1-9. The O in the alphabet can clearly function as a zero.

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1904

Three letters folded from paper strips appear in 'Guia Practica del Trabajo Manual Educativo' by Ezequiel Solana, which was published by Editorial Magisterio Español in Madrid in 1904.

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1913

The word 'Trabajo' and all the numbers are illustrated in 'Trabajo Manual' by C Champy Alvear, which was published by Cabaut y Cia in Buenos Aires in 1913.

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1918

Details of how to make an unusual alphabet using a fold and slit technique appeared in 'Los Muchachos' of 10th December 1916.

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1939

'Plegado' by Rufino Yapur, which was published by Editores Independencia in Buenos Aires in 1939, contained instructions for letters and numbers folded from flat single strips and basic instructions for how to turn them into pleated versions.

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Diagrams for 'Letras Mayusculas' folded from paper strips' appear in 'Trabajo Manual Educativo' by Araminta V Aramburu, which was published by F Crespillo in Buenos Aires in 1939. The material for Grades 1 and 2 includes instructions showing how to fold various letters of the alphabet from paper strips.

Grade 1 - - The letters I, L, V ,C and U

Grade 2 - Letras Mayusculas - The letters N, M, W, Z, D, Q, H, G, R, B, E, X, K, Y

In the later grades the letters are drawn rather than folded.

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1940

An alphabet folded from strips, but which this time also contained punctuation marks and mathematical symbols appeared 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.

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1945

'Bill Folds' by Al O'Hagan published by George Snyder's Magic Shop of Cleveland, Ohio in 1945. It included diagrams for folding a Double 'U' from a dollar bill.

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1951

The extended version of 'El Mundo de Papel' by Dr Nemesio Montero, which was published by G Miranda in Edicions Infancia in Valladolid in 1951, contains instructions for developing 'El Alfabeto en Relieve' (The Pleated Alphabet).

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'Occupons Nos Doigts' by Raymond Richard, which was published by Les Editions des CEP in Villefranche in 1951, contains brief instructions for foding letters and munbers frpm strips.

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A variety of paper letters and numbers folded from strips appears in Plegado laminas published by Della Penna, April 1951.

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1958

Volume 1, Issue 3 of 'The Origamian', which was published in December 1958 contains information about the money folding practised by the magician Victor Frenkl:

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1960

Some 'Paper Letters and Numerals' appear in 'Paper Folding Fun' by Robert Harbin, which was published by Oldbourne in London in 1960.

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1965

Folded letters that form the word 'Origami' are embossed on the outside of the front board of 'The World of Origami' by Isao Honda, which was published in the USA by Japan Publications Trading Company in 1965.

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1968

'Folding Money, Volume Two' edited by Samuel Randlett, which was published by Magic Inc of Chicago in 1968 contains diagrams showing how to fold the upper case alphabet, the numbers 1 to 9, and the words 'Merry Xmas', all of which are attributed to Victor Frenkil.

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