The High Court is set to rule on who owns the rights to a form of ancient origami used to fold maps.

The design of a series of maps based on origami techniques is the subject of a fight between the GeoCenter publishing group, which produces Berlitz maps, and Bath-based Compass Maps.

The pocket-sized maps, which pop out to illustrate dozens of tourist destinations, sell thousands of copies a month.

Compass Maps say they created the “star-fold” map and developed the brand over several years. The maps have a special pattern of perforations and creases to allow them to open and close hundreds of times before tearing.

Ian MacDonald of rivals GeoCenter, a division of German publishers Langenscheidt, said: “Our maps have been in the market for two years. We did a series with Compass, but they decided to move to a different distributor, so we are doing our suitably different maps.”

Robin Fry from Beachcroft solicitors, who is representing Compass Maps, said: “There are numerous similarities between the two sorts of map and Derek Dacey, the director of Compass, has spent years developing the pop-out.”

Compass, which produced the official map for the Athens Olympics and is hoping to produce the official one for Beijing, was recently granted European patents for the maps.

The case comes amid concerns about the growing cost of commercial litigation.

Law firm Allen & Overy was criticised last week by a High Court judge for its costs on a Blackberry patents case. The law firm billed the equivalent of nine man years for a five-day trial.

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