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The Tuttle Story: “Books to Span the East and West”

Most people are surprised when they learn that the world’s largest publisher of books on Asia had its beginnings in the tiny American state of Vermont. The company’s founder, Charles Tuttle, came from a New England family steeped in publishing, and his first love was books—especially old and rare editions.

Tuttle’s father was a noted antiquarian dealer in Rutland, Vermont. Young Charles honed his knowledge of the trade working in the family bookstore, and later in the rare books section of Columbia University Library. His passion for beautiful books—old and new—never wavered through his long career as a bookseller and publisher.

After graduating from Harvard, Tuttle enlisted in the military and in 1945 was sent to Tokyo to work on General Douglas MacArthur’s staff. He was tasked with helping to revive the Japanese publishing industry, which had been utterly devastated by the war. After his tour of duty was completed, he left the military, married a talented and beautiful singer, Reiko Chiba, and in 1948 began several successful business ventures.

To his astonishment, Tuttle discovered that postwar Tokyo was actually a book-lover’s paradise. He befriended dealers in the Kanda district and began supplying rare Japanese editions to American libraries. He also imported American books to sell to the thousands of GIs stationed in Japan. By 1949, Tuttle’s business was thriving, and he opened Tokyo’s very first English-language bookstore in the Takashimaya Department Store in Ginza, to great success. Two years later, he began publishing books to fulfill the growing interest of foreigners in all things Asian.

Though a westerner, Charles Tuttle was hugely instrumental in bringing knowledge of Japan and Asia to a world hungry for information about the East. By the time of his death in 1993, he had published over 6,000 books on Asian culture, history and art—a legacy honored by Emperor Hirohito in 1983 with the “Order of the Sacred Treasure,” the highest honor Japan bestows upon non-Japanese.

The Tuttle company today maintains an active backlist of some 1,500 titles, many of which have been continuously in print since the 1950s and 1960s—a great testament to Charles Tuttle’s skill as a publisher. More than 60 years after its founding, Tuttle Publishing is more active today as at any time in its history, still inspired by Charles’ core mission—to publish fine books to span the East and West and provide a greater understanding of each.

Published in the United States in 2003 by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

www.tuttlepublishing.com

Copyright © 2003 Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Lafosse, Michael G.

Origami:Asian arts & crafts for creative kids / Michael G. Lafosse

p.cm.

ISBN: 978-1-4629-0523-2 (ebook)

1. Origami--Juvenile literature. I. Title.

TT870.L23426 2003

736’.982--dc21 2003045818

First edition

15 14 13 12 9 8 7 6 5 1201CP

Design by Kathryn Sky-Peck

Illustrations by Masturah Jeffrey

Photographs by Richard L. Alexander

Diagrams by Michael G. Lafosse

Printed in Singapore

Distributed by

North America, Latin America, and Europe

Tuttle Publishing

364 Innovation Drive

North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436 USA

Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930

Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993

info@tuttlepublishing.com www.tuttlepublishing.com

Japan

Tuttle Publishing

Yaekari Building, 3F

5-4-12 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku

Tokyo 141-0032

Tel: (81) 3 5437-0171

Fax: (81) 3 5437-0755

sales@tuttle.co.jp www.tuttle.co.jp

Asia Pacific

Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd.

61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12

Singapore 534167

Tel: (65) 6280-3320

Fax: (65) 6280-6290

inquiries@periplus.com.sg www.periplus.com

TUTTLE PUBLISHING^® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.