| The Public Paperfolding History Project
Last updated 17/5/2025 x |
|||||||
| The Spiral Snake | |||||||
| This
page is being used to collect information about the
history of the air-driven rotating design known as the
Spiral Snake. 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. While the Spiral Snake is not creased, the paper of which it is made does fold, in the broadest sense, due to the effect of gravity, when the spiral is hung on it's support. ********** 1759 As far as I know the first mention of this design is in 'Onomatologia curiosa artificiosa et magica oder ganz natürliches Zauber-lexicon', which was published in 1759. In fact the design is mentioned twice in separate sections of the encyclopaedia. Column 1231 - Schlangen von Pappier zu machen (Making paper snakes) Two paper snakes are mentioned here. The first is just a just a flat piece of paper which wriggles when put near an oven, the second is the familiar spiral snake.
*** The spiral version is also mentioned in columns 143/4
********** The design also appears: 1840 In 'The School Boy's Holiday Companion' by T Kentish, which was published by Relfe and Fletcher in London in 1840.
********** 1869 In 'De Kleine Natuurkundige' by Pieter Beets, which was published by D Noorthoven Van Goor in Leiden. The work is undated but said to be from 1869.
********** 1881 In 'La Nature' issue 399 of 22nd January 1881 in an article by Gaston Tissandier titled 'La Physique sans Appareils'.
********** 1890 In 'Scientific Amusements' by Henry Frith, which was published by Ward, Locke and Co Ltd in London, New York and Melbourne in 1890.
********** In 'Grosses Illustriertes Spielbuch fur Knaben' by Dr Jan Daniel Georgens, which was published in Berlin in 1890.
********** 1899 In the 2nd Volume of 'Kolumbus-Eier', which was published in Stuttgart, Berlin and Leipzig probably c1899.
********** 1918 In 'Ciencia Recreativa' by Jose Estralella, which was published by Gustavo Gili in Barcelona in 1918.
********** 1923 As 'The Dancing Snake' in 'Falten und Formen mit Papier' by Richard Rothe which was published by Deutscher Verlag für Jugend und Volk in Vienna and Leipzig in 1923.
********** 1938 In 'Spielzeug - Eine bunte Fibel' by Hans-Friedrich Geist and Alfred Mahlau, which was published by L Staadman Verlag in Leipzig in 1938. Illustration only.
********** 1939 As 'A Paper Whirligig' in 'Fun with Paper' by Joseph Leeming, which was published by Spencer Press Inc in Chicago in 1939.
********** |
|||||||
