@Edwin ... I am not sufficiently good at Latin to know if David Singmaster's rendering is viable. However, Ann Schwartz has suggested in chat that 'If this mechanism was used to dupe and steal from people, the Latin 'by plucking you yourself will be plucked', could mean that stealing from others steals something from yourself.' I like this idea. It suggests the painting is about morality rather than just a man with a toy ...
@Valerie ... so, yes, the Jacob's Ladder seems to be a (much) later development of the Chinese Wallet
@Cliff ... thanks, glad you liked it!
@Edwin ... I have seen the Chinese Wallet reference before. For anyone who doesn't know how the trick works the video is, I suppose, useful. But otherwise it is dreadful! I missed your mention in your blog of the combination in 'Manuel complet des sorciers'. I will have update the post to mention this earlier instance! Thanks.
I also remember being mystified as a child by this intriguing form! I’m a book artist as well as a folder, and have wanted to use it as a hinging device for a book. I’m now in the process of completing it! It’s a book of eight, 4-inch panels connected to each other with a modified Jacob’s ladder. Each panel folds in two directions. It’s a book in honor of the sonobe unit, each panel showing one step in the sequential folding of a paper square. I can send you images when it’s done if you’d like.
Great to see this. I have an old Chinese Wallet somewhere, but red and yellow with dragons - which it seems is still being made (e.g. https://www.magictricks.com/chinese-wallet.html - search for _Chinese wallet magic trick_ on Google). The earliest source I've found for the idea is "Manuel complet des sorciers" (1829) by Comte, page 369. See also https://www.corriegami.com/post/the-buddha-papers. And David Singmaster renders "Carpendo carperis ipse" roughly as "Snapping snaps the snapper".
@Edwin ... I am not sufficiently good at Latin to know if David Singmaster's rendering is viable. However, Ann Schwartz has suggested in chat that 'If this mechanism was used to dupe and steal from people, the Latin 'by plucking you yourself will be plucked', could mean that stealing from others steals something from yourself.' I like this idea. It suggests the painting is about morality rather than just a man with a toy ...
@Valerie ... so, yes, the Jacob's Ladder seems to be a (much) later development of the Chinese Wallet
@Cliff ... thanks, glad you liked it!
@Edwin ... I have seen the Chinese Wallet reference before. For anyone who doesn't know how the trick works the video is, I suppose, useful. But otherwise it is dreadful! I missed your mention in your blog of the combination in 'Manuel complet des sorciers'. I will have update the post to mention this earlier instance! Thanks.
I also remember being mystified as a child by this intriguing form! I’m a book artist as well as a folder, and have wanted to use it as a hinging device for a book. I’m now in the process of completing it! It’s a book of eight, 4-inch panels connected to each other with a modified Jacob’s ladder. Each panel folds in two directions. It’s a book in honor of the sonobe unit, each panel showing one step in the sequential folding of a paper square. I can send you images when it’s done if you’d like.
Great to see this. I have an old Chinese Wallet somewhere, but red and yellow with dragons - which it seems is still being made (e.g. https://www.magictricks.com/chinese-wallet.html - search for _Chinese wallet magic trick_ on Google). The earliest source I've found for the idea is "Manuel complet des sorciers" (1829) by Comte, page 369. See also https://www.corriegami.com/post/the-buddha-papers. And David Singmaster renders "Carpendo carperis ipse" roughly as "Snapping snaps the snapper".
Isn't the way the straps are wound on the Wallet also used in a toy with known usually as a "Jacobs Ladder"?
Wonderful story and fabulous photos, especially delightful to see the details of the paintings.