Sam Randlett has become an almost mythical figure in the world of origami over the years. Born in 1930 he wrote The Art of Origami at the age of 30. His first wife Jean illustrated the book and (in 1963) the other half of this classic pair, The Best of Origami.
Apart from these two seminal books, Randlett’s most significant contribution to origami was a collaboration with Robert Harbin to produce a comprehensive system of symbols and terminology (including the preliminary fold, waterbomb base, blintz base, fish base, bird base and frog base) which are still the de-facto set today. These were used in his books (which every serious paper-folder should have in their collection, IMHO) and in almost all Wstern books since then. He edited the origami newsletter called The Flapping Bird from 1969 to 1976, but since then has kept a remarkably low profile in the ori-world.
I’ve had a couple of brief (written) encounters with him over the years, asking for permission to publish his work. He once sent me an unpublished Jack Skillman design for use in a BOS convention pack (“Table salt” in the Autumn 1986 collection). He explained that he’d found this model in Skillman’s apartment shortly after his death. This wouldn’t mean much to today’s young turks, but I was seriously impressed – it was like a window into the early days of origami.
Biographical detail is hard to find, but it appears Sam still teaches piano (music being the other love of his life). There’s a fascinating article written by Jean-Claude Lejeune.
Here’s a list of his published models extracted from the wonderful origami database.
African Mask | Art of Origami |
Angel fish | Art of Origami |
Binary star | Flapping Bird |
Blintz Birdbase | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Blue Whale | Art of Origami |
Boston Terrier | Art of Origami |
Brontosaurus | Art of Origami |
Bull | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Bull mask | Flapping Bird |
Butterfly | Art of Origami |
Caliz | Pajarita 50 |
Camel | Art of Origami |
Card | Flapping Bird |
Chalice | BOS Magazine 81 April 1980 |
Christmas Ornaments | Art of Origami |
Dachsund | Art of Origami |
Dog Variation | Art of Origami |
Dove | FOCA Origami Convention 1982 |
Duck | Art of Origami |
Fish | Teach Yourself Origami |
Flapping Bird | Origami in Action |
Flower | Art of Origami |
Golden Eagle | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Goldfish | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Goldfish – veil tail | Flapping Bird |
Goose | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Grasshopper | Art of Origami |
Green Pepper | Art of Origami |
Hooded Cobra | Art of Origami |
Knot Bat | Art of Origami |
Leaf | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Longhorn Bull | Art of Origami |
Moth | Art of Origami |
Mouse | Art of Origami |
Necktie | Folding Money II |
New Flapping Bird | Art of Origami |
Ornament | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Owl and the Pussycat | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Parrot | Art of Origami |
Pelican | Art of Origami |
Pheasant | Art of Origami |
Polar Bear | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Polar bear Cub | Art of Origami |
Presentation Box | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Purse | Flapping Bird |
Rabbit | Art of Origami |
Rabbit with cottontail | Art of Origami |
Randlett’s flapping bird | Story-gami |
Red Pepper | Art of Origami |
Reversible Fish | Art of Origami |
Rooster | Art of Origami |
Sea Turtle | Art of Origami |
Shorthorn Bull | Art of Origami |
Shrimp | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Small Bill | Folding Money II |
Snapping Wolf | Art of Origami |
Song Bird | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Springer Spaniel | Art of Origami |
Star | Complete Notebooks of Neal Elias |
Stegosaurus | Art of Origami |
Trojan Horse | Art of Origami |
Turtle | Art of Origami |
Vampire Bat | Art of Origami |
Veil-Tailed Goldfish | Paper #086 |
Waterbomb | Art of Origami |