Swiss Army knives

Shown above are two stamps Switzerland issued earlier this summer honoring the venerable Swiss Army knife made by Victorinox. The one on the left is the first model that was produced. On the right is one of the 100 different models manufactured today.

According to the Swiss Post's Focus on Stamps,Victorinox, Europe’s biggest knife factory, turns out approximately 25,000 “Swiss Army Knives” every day.

Victorinox has been supplying the Soldier’s Knife to the Swiss Army for over a century. In 1909, after the death of his mother, entrepreneur Karl Elsener chose her first name –Victoria – as his trademark.

With the advent of the newly invented material stainless steel in Switzerland in 1921, the word “inox” (the international term for stainless steel) was added on the Victoria brand stainless-steel knives,and the combination of these two words produced the current trademark and corporate name of Victorinox.

To see more Swiss Army knives, click here.