The Genii Forum

Edwin:

Thank you for taking the time to contribute.

I was aware of Ozanam, Dean, Alberti, Kenneway and Minguet. Going to see if I can chase down the Dhotel and Mayette right away. Lister and Selden will take a while and I am really looking forward to seeing Yoshizawa's troublewit...

I currently have a bibliographical list that includes about 47 entries (excluding periodical references that only refer to performances), but I am sure that I am still missing some significant entries.

I am grateful for your assistance.

Engaos ojos vistas by Pablo Minguet is online
HERE

Thanks Bill for the reference... Yet another tool for research...

Andrew Pinard wrote:Edwin:

Thank you for taking the time to contribute.

Lister and Selden will take a while and I am really looking forward to seeing Yoshizawa's troublewit...

The Selden book can be viewed here (see page 137 for the reference to "juggler's paper"):

http://books.google.com/books?id=6mUlAA ... &q&f=false

Origami Dokuhon I (there's also a volume 2) is out of print and not easy to find, but you can see the cover here:

http://vntopic.com/origami/2010/10/orig ... yoshizawa/

Edwin:

Thanks again for your help... With the help of you and Bill I have tracked down everything except Yoshizawa (which I hope to get on Interlibrary Loan), "Le Pli" Issue 5, and still digging through Dhotel, although it may be in the volumes that have not yet been translated from French...

This has been extremely helpful!

it's seems that "Le Papier du Pre Mathieu" is a title created by Tom censored (Arthur Wood) in his book La Science amusante in 3 volumes.

Andrew Pinard wrote:still digging through Dhotel, although it may be in the volumes that have not yet been translated from French...

"Le papier multiforme" was listed in the catalogue as a booklet with around 38 pages. I don't know if it was included in the eight volumes of "La prestidigitation sans bagages" - maybe Philippe can help on this.

I have most of the old issues of "Le Pli" but unfortunately not No. 5. I can try asking around to see if anyone has it and can scan the article, though it'll have to be after Christmas. Otherwise the library of the British Origami Society or the Mouvement Francais des Plieurs de Papier (MFPP) would be sure to have copies.

Here is the section from La Prestidigitation Sans Bagages Volume 6 by Jules Dhotel (I can't help much with the translation though):

LE PAPIER MULTIFORME
Voici une rcration faite avec du papier, qui ne date pas d'aujourd'hui, puisqu'on la trouve dans les livres trs anciens comme celui d'Ozanam (1735) o l'on peut lire la manire de ployer un papier dont on fait un grand nombre de figures .
On l'appelait le papier du Pre Mathieu ou du Pre Thomas . Trewey l'a baptis Le papier multiforme et a crit sur lui une plaquette actuellement difficile trouver.

Enfin sous le nom de L'ventail transformations Caroly I l'a modernis et il a publi sur ce sujet dans l'Illusionniste (N 77, page 49) un amusant boniment qui enchane d'une faon trs plaisante les diffrentes figures qu'on peut faire avec lui.

II m'a aimablement autoris le -publier in extenso clans cet ouvrage et, aprs en avoir fait leur profit, mes lecteurs souhaiteront sans aucun cloute avec moi que le livre de boniments que cet minent illusionniste a en prparation depuis un certain temps, voie bientt le jour.

There are 16 pages in Volume 6 of Dhotel's La Prestidigitation Sans Bagages devoted to Le Papier Multiforme, with detailed instructions, diagrams, and patter. Here is a loose translation of the paragraphs quoted by Joe Pecore.

"Troublewit
"Here is an entertainment from bygone years done with a sheet of paper. We know it is not modern, because we find it in various old books such as the one by Ozanam (1735), where we read about "the method of folding a piece of paper to make a great many shapes." It is called the paper of "Pre Mathieu" or of "Pre Thomas." Trewey baptized it "The Paper of Many Forms" and wrote a pamphlet about it, which is quite hard to find. Finally, Caroly 1 brought it up to date under the name "The Transforming Fan," and in "L'Illusioniste" (#77, page 49) he published a clever routine with an amusing sequence of different shapes which the performer can make.

"He kindly authorized me to publish the complete routine in this work, and after learning it to their profit, my readers will surely join their hopes to mine that the book of routines upon which this well-known illusionist has been working for some time will soon see the light of day." [Now, that's a convoluted sentence!]

In a footnote, Dhotel gives credit to Mme. Georgette Leroux, "one of our best lady magicians, who regularly performs troublewit," for collaborating in the writing of the section on le papier multiforme.

Thanks again gents (and welcome to Philippe and Nick)!

I have "Magical Experiments or Science in Play" by Arthur Good (an English translation of Series 1) in my library but it contains no troublewit references that I can find. I downloaded four PDF files of "La Science Amusante" in the hopes that I can find the specific citation which Philippe refers to but they all appear to be the first volume and do not appear to contain the "Pre Mathieu" reference. I have not been able to find the second (1892) or third (1893) volumes online. If this reference is in any of the volumes then it certainly seems to predate Stanyon and it may indicate that this mysterious character is the invention of Arthur Good (unless we find an earlier reference). I did find a wonderfully-illustrated work online some time ago titled "Joujoux en Papier" by Tom censored (published circa 1924) that had the chapter title "Le Papier de Pre Mathieu" but as it postdated the Stanyon reference I didn't follow it any further. It can be downloaded here (around 20MB): http://zorigami.free.fr/Tom_Tit/Joujoux ... om_Tit.pdf. Perhaps I stopped too soon?

Edwin: If you could ask around for "Le Pli" Issue 5 it would be appreciated (no rush especially with the holidays coming up). I will try the other sources you suggest as well.

Joe & Nick: I hope to track down a copy of the Trewey pamphlet, but it will require some arm twisting of a few collector friends. I may have to order the Miracle Factory CD on French History as it includes the complete "L'Illussionniste" issues (I can't seem to locate those online)..

Looks like I have at least two pamphlets to chase down: Dhotel/Mayette (although this may be the material in volume 6) & Trewey. I wonder: did Caroly ever publish his routine?

Ultimately, was "Pre Mathieu" nothing more than a pleasant fiction? A hook for a presentation? Still digging for earlier references...

Andrew

I have all three volumes, Andrew, and if Philippe can give you some page numbers (and which volume) I can make a photocopy for you.

Unfortunatly, I haven't the 3 Tom censored but I know it's not in the first volume.

Pre Mathieu (or Pre Franois) is a character who represent the peasantry, a countryman.

Now, why this character is associated with troublewit, I have no idea.

Hi Andrew,
Thanks for the Tom censored link. Im quite heavily into origami but for some reason have never gone into Troublewit in any detail. There are several people who have done a lot of research into the history of paperfolding in both Europe and Asia, and I know of one who has made an extensive collection of old European books on the subject. David Lister is one of the foremost researchers, and I will see if I can contact him about this. Also the missing issue of Le Pli, although I suspect it may only have the references already mentioned since Eric Kenneway will have used it for his ABC of Origami that later became Complete Origami.

There seems to be no shortage of secondhand copies of the various Tom censored books, though most of them are fairly pricey (see http://www.bookfinder.com/ , see the language to French and try Tom censored as author or title). I havent had time to check Google Books properly, though it might have something. They certainly have full views of quite a few old magic books (Ozanam, Alberti, Minguet and others), which you can also have printed on demand.

According to the chapter on Troublewit in Volume 6 of Dhotel (by the way: nice translation, Nick, you beat me to it), Caroly did publish his routine in LIllusioniste #77. The Miracle Factory CD on French history has this and would certainly be worth getting for all the other material it contains as well.
Im going away over Christmas but will try to follow up when I get back. Thanks to Andrew and everyone else for a most interesting thread.

A couple more things to add (I couldnt resist doing some more checking):

Manuel pratique dorigami by Dominique Buisson has a short chapter on Lventail magique that mentions most of the references weve seen in this thread (Ozanam, Sports & Pastimes, Minguet, Alberti). Apparently Troublewit was included in the Grand dictionnaire national of 1845 and in the Grande encyclopdie mthodique illustre de jeux of 1888 in an article by Thodore de Moulidars. He also talks a bit about Trewey, Treweys book Le papier uniforme describing 64 different figures, Caroly in LIllusioniste for May 1908, and Dhotel. And he says Pre Mathieu was a priest who was purported to have brought Troublewit back from China in the 18th century. So nothing really new here, though if you are interested in the book you can find it via Bookfinder.com or Amazon France.

Another book is Eric Hawkesworth's "Pleated Paper Folding" (1975), though I dont think it was to do with Troublewit.

Im sure Troublewit appears in a lot of 19th century books on games and amusements. One I remember having from the library as a child was Cassell's Book of In-Door Amusements, Card Games, and Fireside Fun, which I think had a section on Troublewit and is available via print on demand. Theres also William Clarkes Boys Own Book. Houdinis Paper Magic mentions it too and refers readers to Lang Neil, The Magicians Own Book and Robertson Keenes More Novel Notions. But Im sure you knew this already...

Thanks again Edwin...

I had all of the references except Cassell and Buisson (and have since downloaded Cassell; isn't the internet wonderful!).

Have to run now, but later I will email (those of you I have email for) my Bibliography of Troublewit. This document (59 entries so far) is changing even more rapidly now that I have such great help!

For those of you who might want to see my folded troublewits, you can find them at http://www.troublewit.net

More later, thanks again for all your help...

Andrew

Andrew, I don't know if this will interest you, but I have seen French magic sets from the period of about 1860 to 1890 that, in their large incarnations, contain a folded paper for troublewit.

Richard:

Thanks for the information on 19th-century French magic sets and offering to copy the pertinent information from "La science amusante". Once I get more information I will get back to you on the books.

Robert A. Olson (of "Potter" and other fame) has clued me in to a couple of sets he has purchased over the years and provided at least one set of instructions... I hope to find more when I go to Chicago in May... Do you have any recommendations of collectors of French (and other) magic sets I might contact?

Happy holidays (Bonnes ftes) ...

Andrew

For French magic sets: Volker Huber and Jacques Voignier.

THIS EDITIONof one of the Lemony Snicket includes a reprint of "The Paper Magician" by Morley Adams from The British Boys' Annual London: Cassell and Co., Ltd. 1914, which includes some troublewit material.

Richard: Thanks again! I should have talked with Volker about it back in November... Will try to contact Jacques...

Bill: Just stumbled on that. I own all of the hard-bound versions of "Unfortunate Events", this gives me a reason to pick up the paperback of volume 1. Funny, Potter (of Potter's Bar) listed Morley Adams in his index of troublewit not for the title you list, but for The Boy's Own Book of Indoor Games (1912). Still trying to get a copy of this...

THISillustration is from a 1657 book from Germany. The subject is folding napkins for a fancy dinner.

While not, strictly speaking, troublewit, the similarities are obvious.

It is from Vollstndiges und von neuem vermehrtes Trincir-Buch by Georg Philipp Harsdrffer.

Ask Reinhard Mller. I think he can help you.

Thanks once again gentlemen...

Add to your bibliography:

J. H. Vincent. _The Home Book for Very Little People, Their Brothers and Sisters, Their Mothers and Teachers_ NY: Phillips & Hunt, 1887 p. 295 297 "Magic Fan"

HERE

An old issue of Electronic Grymoire (boy, that used to be a good email list) says:

Two other sources to consider are:
"Sid Lorraine's Scrapbook", and,
"A Magic Variety Show" by Eric Hawkesworth.

Mr. Pinard,

Could you pardon me?

There is absolutly no troublewit in La Science amusante by Tom censored.

I'm very sorry.

Bill Mullins wrote:THISillustration is from a 1657 book from Germany. The subject is folding napkins for a fancy dinner.

While not, strictly speaking, troublewit, the similarities are obvious.

It is from Vollstndiges und von neuem vermehrtes Trincir-Buch by Georg Philipp Harsdrffer.

Thanks for the link. I'd seen pages from this book but didn't know the whole thing was available online.

The whole of the first section is on how to fold napkins and whole tablecloths into the various shapes shown in the various illustrations in the first 50 pages. Napkin folding is still common enough, but the art of tablecloth folding is largely forgotten and known only from this book and passing references in other texts (e.g. "Onomatologia Curiosa Artificiosa et Magica oder ganz natürliches Zauber-Lexicon", Gotthard Hafner, 1759). In fact it goes back even further than Harsdrffer - the introduction mentions older Italian books, though it says they did not explain the folding process very clearly. As the other illustrations show, the whole thing is based on pleating and cross-pleating. The thing that looks like Troublewit on page 27 (page 43 of the digital version) is described on the previous page as a Peacock's Tail, and could well be the forerunner of Troublewit.

Edwin: I was very intrigued when Bill posted the link to the napkin/table-cloth folding. The illustrations look extremely similar to those used in making Troublewit. I don't speak/read German. Could you clarify the material they are working in? I presume cloth, but the number of pleats would seem to need paper to hold properly (unless deeply starched napkins). It is highly unlikely they had disposable napkins... :o)

Philippe: Thanks for being thorough and checking for me. I truly appreciate the time you took going through the volumes. I have another person going through them and he hasn't found anything either. No loss though as it reminded me of <i>Joujoux en Papier</i> published in Paris in 1924 (I had it on my hard drive but couldn't locate it). The pertinent section was titled Le Papier du Pre Mathieu. The author: Tom censored. This volume referenced other works by the author and included La science amusante and three other works: Les bons jeudis, Pour amuser les petits ou les joujoux qu'on peut faire soi-mme and La rcration en famille. Perhaps you were thinking of one of those volumes (or a later edition of La science amusante)? I will try to track down the other titles and see if there is an earlier reference...

Bill: as always, I am impressed by your research capabilities! Others are sure to appreciate (and benefit from) your posting of other title with their TS designations...

Stanyon (1897) still appears to be the earliest reference to Pre Mathieu... Looking for an earlier French reference that was Stanyon's source and also more precursors to the 1676 Sports and Pastimes reference (en Franais s'il vous plait)...

More references coming in...

The author refers to starched and unstarched linen, though he also suggests practising with paper first. For the complex animal shapes he says you need a needle and thread. In recent years there has been a lot of interest in origami tessellations, and several people have created masks in a way that probably reflects the techniques used for these old tablecloth and napkin folds (see, for example, http://www.origamitessellations.com/200 ... el-cooper/ ). It's not really Troublewit, but it's interesting to think that pleated linen folding may have been a source of inspiration.

I haven't had a chance to read the whole of the introduction properly (the old Black Letter script is a bit heavy-going at times), but if you're pursuing the French connection there is a passing reference to the fact that tablecloth folding was practised in France as well as Italy.

I'm off again for a week or so from tomorrow but will try to follow up when I get back.

OK, just a few more references:

"Attractions visuelles de complment" by Jean de Merry
http://www.magix.fr/pub/scans/lmx-021.jpg

Maybe you know it already. I don't have it and can't say whether it contains any "new" information, but it might be one for the collection anyway.

Also this with a reference to Hofzinser:
http://scan.net.au/scan/journal/display ... rnal_id=34

And this:
http://www.origami-resource-center.com/paper-magic.html

And this:
http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/clog/p ... roublewit/

More:


Berg, Albert Ellery (ed.) The universal self-instructor and manual of general reference, including many valuable vocabularies and carefully compiled tables Melbourne, AU: McCardel, 1884? p. 374-375 "The Magic Fan"

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/302025347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/302024208/

Another edition, with (I believe) the same pagination: NY: T. Kelly, 1891

There is a 1970 facsimile edition as well:
Berg, Albert Ellery and Annette Kar Baxter.The Universal self-instructor and manual of general reference. NY: Winter House, 1970. p 374-375 "The Magic Fan"

Source unknown:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/412283750/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/412283749/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/412283747/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/412283746/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/jonze/412283743/

Apparently this book has some troublewit material.


And a Danish Book:
Erslev, Anna. Illustreret Legebog [Illustrated Games] Includes illustrations of folds. There appears to be editions from ~1897 or so, and also 1978 or so.

Interesting the Universal Self-Instructor is very similar to Cassells Book of Indoor Amusements referenced earlier, with identical illustrations but different text.

The Source unknown items from Flickr are the Troublewit pages in Kenneways Complete Origami.

Illustreret Legebog by Anna Erslev was new to me, but the cover can be seen here:

http://papirfoldning.dk/boeger/AlleAlder.html

and I think the description says it has instructions for 6 pleated objects ("6 plisserede genstande"). Another one for Andrews bibliography!

Just time for one more:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/peterjohn. ... oc95294133

You guys are wonderful...

I also noted the Berg relationship to Cassell. Not surprising, there was quite a bit of reproduction in the early titles. I will be more scrupulous with the text knowing there are discrepancies.

I took my existing bibliography and created a chronology to compare the physical development of the prop. I have made some interesting observations and have begun documenting the variants... More on that later...

Thanks again to everyone helping out! (Travel safe Edwin...)

Edwin Corrie wrote: Illustreret Legebog by Anna Erslev was new to me, but the cover can be seen here:

http://papirfoldning.dk/boeger/AlleAlder.html

and I think the description says it has instructions for 6 pleated objects ("6 plisserede genstande"). Another one for Andrews bibliography!

And HERE are the 6 pleated objects.

I've finally managed to contact David Lister, who is a founder member of the British Origami Society and one of our distinguished origami historians. He is very interested in Troublewit and has done a lot of research on it, as have a number of other origami aficionados. He has an written an article on the subject, which is as yet unpublished. It's a bit long to post here, even though David stresses it's just the tip of the iceberg, but I can pass it on via PM to anyone who's interested (just let me know).

In answer to Andrew's original question about the origin of Troublewit, David says he has found no convincing evidence of it being invented in China or brought back to Europe by Pre Mathieu. He doesn't completely discount the possibility of a Chinese origin, but suspects it may have been a showman's ploy to add mystery to his performance.

One of the things David mentioned is that the ancient art of tablecloth folding has been revived just recently by Joan Sallas, a Spanish paperfolder who lives in Germany and has done a lot of research into old German paperfolding books. He has recreated some of the tablecloth folding designs described in the "Trincirbuch" and mounted exhibitions in Germany. The exhibition catalogue is still available here:
http://www.serviettenbrechen.de/frameset.html

If you enlarge the Contents page, you can see there's a short chapter on Troublewit.

David also mentioned some articles by Roberto Morassi in the Italian origami magazine "Quadrato Magico", from 1984. I happen to have these, and he goes into some detail about both Troublewit and tablecloth folding, with references to the Italian book that preceded the German "Trincirbuch". It would be rather a lot to translate, but I could summarise the information for anyone interested.

There's another origami book by Yoshizawa which has some pleated paper folding in it, called "Origami Sosaku" (Creative Origami). Not much, and it's his own version again, rather different from the standard Troublewit. For one thing, the figures are static (vases etc.). Available here for anyone interested:
http://www.origami-shop.com/en/akira-yo ... -1291.html

I also found some more Hofzinser pictures showing him with Troublewit:
http://www.hofzinser.com/hofzinserlife_en.html

Running out of time again. For anyone who's still with me, I hope it was worth the wait.

Interesting Edwin, thanks.
The Hatch translation of Hofzinser's Magic has some photos of him using the TroubleWit as well.
Odd about the fan configuration as that and paper are both of Asian (Chinese) origins along with books, kites and even paper hats and armor. One can well imagine someone playing the part of Marco Polo demonstrating the uses for this miracle stuff they brought back from the markets of the far east.

Jonathan Townsend wrote:The Hatch translation of Hofzinser's Magic has some photos of him using the TroubleWit as well.

There may well be something on Troublewit in Magic Christian's as yet unpublished third volume of his Hofzinser trilogy, though we may have to wait a while for the promised English translation.

For anyone who is still following, and to keep the list of references as complete as possible, I just found Troublewit in "Trsor des jeux" by Carlo Antonio (1759), pages 62-64.:

http://digital.bibliothek.uni-halle.de/ ... view/74236

The text and drawings seem to be the same as in Ozanam and others.

Thanks Edwin...

I have added it to the bibliography (98 entries and counting) and chronology... Just gave local talks on troublewit yesterday and last week with an emphasis on the search for Pre Mathieu. The earliest reference I currently have to him is 1896...

My current hypothesis is that when Felicien Trewey began touring in the United Kingdom (circa 1876) he caused a resurgence of interest in the performance of Troublewit. The chronology in print jumps from 1863 (The Magician's Own Book) to 1881 (Cassell's Book of In-door Amusements...) and from there we see an increase in publications (1883, 1887, 1888 culminating with the 1896 reference in The Strand to Pre Mathieu).

It would not surprise me if Trewey invented Mathieu as a way of laying French claim to its origination. This, of course, requires some confirmation...

Andrew

Thanks Edwin for the link to Trsor des jeux which is a copy of Tours de gibecire by Grandin in 1723.

Andrew, the story of Pre Mathieu is very curious because Flicien Trewey presented Troublewit as "Papier multiforme" which is a good translation in french for troublewit.

As you write it before, it is Stanyon who, the first, speaks about Pre Mathieu but, hlas, he did'nt give source nor why it was named like this.

Phillipe,

I have been taking college French courses this semester to aid me in my research and it has proved very helpful!

I am still trying to find a copy of Trewey's "Le Papier Uniforme" which was published in 1913 (although I have found a photo of the cover of one issue auctioned recently which is titled "Le Papier Multiforme and a friend believes he has a copy). I have also found that there may exist a short film of Trewey presenting Troublewit, but it is only viewable in the Bibliothque nationale de France. Time for a trip!

I have found yet an earlier reference to the elusive priest. In Trewey's "How It Is Done", the history section on page 18 contains the following sentence:

"His manipulation of what the French call "Le papier da papa Mathieu," by which he makes numerous familiar objects, is a revival of an old popular amusement."

Trewey is the presumed author, lending perhaps more credence to my hypothesis that Trewey may have created the character from whole cloth...

The fourth edition (from which I located this quote) can be found here: http://www.cineressources.net/images/ouv_num/297.pdf

Again, I have so far only been able to locate references to Mathieu in English-language manuscripts.

Curious.