The Origami Forum

Hi, I've been doing some research to find out if the Sonobe Module and the Chinese Golden Venture module ar in the public domain, having little luck? Does anyone know a diffinative answer?

I've read this article and it doesn't look like the expert found an answer so to me it seems safe to publish instructions for making the original sonobe module?

http://www.britishorigami.info/academic ... sonobe.php

Sorry, it does not seem likely that any modular origami works are in the public domain, but for things like the Chinese Golden Venture units, the proper attribution might be lost. I do not know of any traditional modular works, and I am under the impression the idea of connecting multiple sheets started in the 1960's. Sonobe's works would fall under that as well. I do not know how aggressively the Sonobe estate is protecting these works. A possble avenue is to contact people who have published these works already, and perhaps that would lead you to the estate. On a related note, I think the gum wrapper chain would be considered public domain.

As far as I know if you diagram a Sonbe module (or anything else, for that matter) the copyright for the diagrams is yours. Origami USA put it on a T-shirt at one point.

marckrsh wrote:Sonobe's works would fall under that as well. I do not know how aggressively the Sonobe estate is protecting these works.

According to the Essay linked in my original post Mr Sonobe doesn't take credit for the module.

The article does not confirm attribution one way or another. If anything it is talking about how Sonobe did not develop his module further.