A folding appliance includes a rotatable folding blade cylinder for transporting a signature to be folded, and at least one folding blade that can rotated about a first axle inside the folding blade cylinder. That first axle is held on a carrier which, in turn, can be rotated about a second axle. The folding blade can extend out of the folding blade cylinder during the course of rotation of the folding blade cylinder. The carrier and the folding blade cylinder can be phase-displaced in relation to each other.