Dimensions (cm): 9 x 2.5 x 2

Year: 1900

A rare early tortoiseshell 'Swiss Army' pen knife.
The Swiss Army knife (German: Schweizer Offiziersmesser) is a pocket knife or multi-tool manufactured by Victorinox AG (and up to 2005 Wenger SA). The term 'Swiss Army knife' was coined by US soldiers after World War II due to the difficulty they had in pronouncing the German name. The Swiss Army knife generally has a sharp blade, as well as various tools, such as screwdrivers, a can opener, and many others. These attachments are stowed inside the handle of the knife through a pivot point mechanism. The handle is usually red, but our rare early example has a tortoiseshell case.

Originating in Ibach, Switzerland, the Swiss Army knife was first produced in 1891 after the company, Karl Elsener, which later became Victorinox, won the contract to produce the Swiss Army's Modell 1890 knife from the previous German manufacturer.
In 1893, the Swiss cutlery company Paul Boéchat & Cie, which later became Wenger, received its first contract from the Swiss military to produce model 1890 knives; the two companies split the contract for provision of the knives from 1908 until Victorinox acquired Wenger in 2005.

Bar Code: 10196