Karl Elsener (inventor) Karl Elsener (inventor) Karl Elsener (9 October 1860 - 26 December 1918) was a Swiss cutler, inventor and entrepreneur. Karl Elsener completed an apprenticeship as a knife maker in Zug. After some journeyman years he opened a factory in Ibach, Switzerland in 1884 for the manufacture of knives and surgical instruments. He invented the Swiss army knife in 1891 and developed his knife manufacturing company into what has become Victorinox. From 1912 to 1918 Elsener was a member of the cantonal parliament of the Canton of Schwyz. He was married three times. After him his son, Carl Elsener (1886-1950), and
Karl G. Malmgren Karl G. Malmgren Karl Gunnar Malmgren (1862–1921) was a 20th-century architect in the Pacific Northwest. He was born in Örebro, Sweden and studied architecture and decorative arts throughout Sweden and Germany. Malmgren worked with Swedish architect, P.L. Anderson for seven years upon completing his schooling. Malmgren immigrated to the United States in 1888, initially settling in Seattle. In 1889, Malmgren moved to Spokane and started working for K. R. Cutter and Company, also known as Cutter & Poetz. With the retirement of John Poetz in 1894/1895, the firm was restructured as Cutter & Malmgren. He married Mary Arneson in 1891