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Last updated 16/7/2025

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This page is being used to collect information the history of the design usually known as Solorzano's Peacock / Pavo Real. 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.

Following Legman (see entry for 1942 below) this design is normally attributed to Solorzano, but it is odd that if this is the case it should have been published at an earlier date without, as far as I know, being attributed to him.

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In Japan (and in publications by Japanese authors)

1951

This design appears as 'Peacock' in 'Origami to Kirinuki' by Saburo Ueda, which was published by Kokkado in Tokyo, most probably in 1951. The diagrams do not show how to obtain the crest. No information about the origin of the design is given.

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In Europe and the Americas

1939

A version of this design seems to have first appeared as 'Pavo real' in 'Trabajo Manual Educativo' by Araminta V Aramburu, which was published by F Crespillo in Buenos Aires in 1939. No attribution is given for the origin of the design.

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1941

A more sophisticated version appeared as 'El Pavo Real' in 'Papiro-Zoo: Manual practico de cocotologia o papirologia' by Giordano Lareo, which was published by Larco in Buenos Aires in 1941. I have not seen a full copy of this book and so do not know what attribution, if any, is given. There is, however, no attribution in the 1951 third edition which also contains the design.

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1942

According to Gershon Legman's 'Bibliography of Paperfolding', diagrams for this design were 'first published' in Buenos Aires in the Feb 22, 1942 edition of 'Diario Español'.

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1943

Diagrams for this design also appear:

In Volume 6 of 'El Libro de Oro de Los Ninos' (The Golden Book of Children), which was published by U.T.E.H.A in Buenos Aires in 1943.

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1951

In 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, where it is attributed to Solorzano.

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1956

A version of the design folded from a banknote appears in 'Paper Magic' by Robert Harbin, which was published by Oldbourne in London in 1956, where it is simply called 'The Peacock'. The text says, 'Origin: Spanish. Passed to the author by Cy Endfield, U.S.A.'

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1968

A similar version of this design was used by Giuseppe Baggi, without attribution, in this subscription advert in Mad Magazine ssue 117 of March 1968. (The lower picture is of a design by Adolfo Cerceda.)

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