Swiss Army knife and features a Victorinox or Wenger "cross" logo or, for Swiss military issue knives, the coat of arms of Switzerland. 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
Victorinox Ibach. Elsener in 1891 co-founded "Schweizerischer Messerschmiedverband", an association of Swiss knife manufacturers. Elsener and his colleagues from this time delivered knives to the Swiss army. In 1892, most of Elsener's colleagues left the enterprise, as it became apparent that Solingen manufacturers could deliver at a lower price. Elsener persisted in competing with Solingen, incurring severe financial losses. Elsenser's "Schweizer Offiziers- und Sportmesser" was patented in 1897, later marketed internationally as "Original Swiss Army Knife". This knife was not adopted by the Swiss Armed Forces as ordnance, but its commercial success allowed the company to recover financially. On the death