I remember seeing several articles and reviews about the paper to butterfly trick long before Andrew Goldenhirsch but can't seem to find them now.
Does anyone have some history on this?
Martin Lweis, Vaudville, I know I've seen this on stage and TV. But who and when?

I really don't know Andrew Goldenhirsch is and you haven't quite described the effect.

But if you are talking about a trick where a magician takes a small piece of cigarette paper and transforms it into a live moth. I believe that is a Nate Leipzig effect called "Creation of Life".

Unfortunately, I am about a 1000 miles away from home so I don't have access to any of my books. But if my memory serves me correctly, I think Leipzig might have gotten this effect from an amateur magician who was a pharmacist in Glendale, California.

That is all I can say. Perhaps somebody out there has more solid info.

Levent

The Leipzig trick Levent referred to was created by Fred Roberts, of California. Leipzig thought it was one of the best effects he had ever seen, and told Roberts so. Roberts then taught him the workings and gave him permission to use it. Leipzig kept it in reserve for special occasions when he wanted to make a really good impression -- it's certainly not the type of trick that he would have kept in regular rotation, due to the preparation involved.

Fred Roberts allowed the trick to be published in "Chap's Scrapbook" in the September 1939 issue.

-Jim

Thank you Mr Maloney, there's some history I've never heard...