The Swiss Army knife
A tool that’s become an icon
09.07.2010
The red pocket knife with the Swiss flag emblem, known around the world as the Swiss Army knife, has important cultural forebears. This special exhibition, staged in association with the collector Horst A. Brunner of Winterthur and the company Victorinox, showcases the enormous variety of historical pocket knives. Arranged thematically, it offers a guided tour through the cultural history of this iconic tool. It examines topics such as knives and superstition, and features unusual examples such as the pistol knife and striking ones such as the largest and smallest pocket knives. There’s also a look at the foundation of the Karl Elsener knife factory in Ibach, Schwyz, plus an insight into the innovative aspects of present-day knife manufacture.