Karl Elsener started making cutlery in Switzerland in 1884 and began supplying soldiers knives to the Swiss army in 1891. The unique shield and cross emblem was adopted in 1909, and combining his mother’s name with a shortened version of the Swiss word for stainless steel (inox) in 1921 Elsener created an iconic brand which continues to this day – Victoria + inox to make Victorinox. Originally called the Swiss Officer’s Knife, it was sold to a much wider market after World War II and it seems the American footsoldiers preferred ‘Swiss Army knife’ and the name stuck. Quite how the little compass we have here on our collection fits into the Victorinox empire we are not sure as the 2012 website does not list this form of compass. The company expanded into different markets at the end of the 1900’s:- travel, fashion and fragrances and we suspect this simple but functional compass may have been part of a new range that was subsequently discontinued. It was given to Mick Tighe by his pal, John McCall circa 1995 and dates from that era.