My friend David Lister, who has died aged 82, was the world's leading expert on the history and culture of origami. A Japanese word, origami simply means paper folding. It was adopted first in English and then in other languages in recognition of the long Japanese tradition.
There is evidence to suggest that, by the 19th century, paper folding had spread to, or had started independently in, other continents including Europe. But it took until the 1950s before origami started developing from what was regarded as largely a children's pastime to the creative and challenging art form it is today. David was pivotal in forming the British Origami Society (BOS) in 1967. He and I had met earlier, along with a dozen or so other UK paper folders, via a box of models and articles that circulated between us by post. Our ambition to start a library required a more formal organisation and, as a solicitor by profession, David was well placed to draft the constitution for the new society.
As the BOS and similar societies in other countries have grown, so has knowledge and practice of the art of paper folding. David went on to serve on the BOS's council for several years, including a term as president.
David was not a creative origamist – indeed it was quite rare to see him folding a piece of paper. Rather, his passion lay in mapping the global history and development of origami and understanding the key personalities involved. He carried out extensive original research and published many acclaimed papers.
David enjoyed a huge network of origami contacts around the world, and was always ready to share his encyclopedic knowledge, whether in person, through correspondence or on internet discussion forums. If he did not know the answer to someone's question, he would tenaciously research it until he did.
He was blessed with an extraordinary intellectual curiosity embracing many other interests, including flags and heraldry, playing cards, mazes and labyrinths, folklore, mythology, Arthurian literature and recreational mathematics. An avid collector of books, he once told me he had resolved to purchase one book a day as soon as he could reasonably afford it.
David was born and lived nearly all his life in Grimsby, Lincolnshire, where he was an active member of the local Rotary club. A devoted husband, father and grandfather, he is survived by his wife, Margaret, their three children, Richard, Frances and Mark, and six grandchildren.