I picked this white multitool up in a junk shop. It has a Swiss Flag on it but cannot see a makers name or find any reference to anything similar online. The flag is unlike anything I’ve seen on other Swiss Army knifes.
If anyone has an idea of it’s origins please let me know.
UPDATE:
After two and a half years I tweeted asking if anyone knew this knifes origins and in a matter of minutes got a few links back. (Their google must look different to my Google.)
This link from @RichardMackney
There is some interesting information on the Knife manufacturer on the British Blades Forum and more great photos on this forum.
Further research has told me stainless steel started appearing in pocket knives in 1920, six years after it’s invention.
The blades and springs certainly look carbon steel to me so it’s possible the knife is made with the mark ‘Pradel’ who were hugely respected knife makers till the brand was sold in 1960. This may have been called ‘Eperon D’or Paris’ (Paris Golden Spur?).. Does that make it a French Army knife? Who knows.
It’s roughly dated between 1890 and 1920? and may have Ivory scales.
The knife markings for this kind of knife can also say ‘Ducher of Thiers’. Pradel were also based in Thiers, France.
There is a good chance it’s a fake Pradel trying to look like a fake Swiss Army Knife.
Does it have something for taking stones out of horses hooves? 🙂
Nice tool! I have a few old ones. This one looks a bit like this? http://www.tias.com/5089/PictPage/3923743477.html
That’s fascinating 😉 I think you should go to Paris to ask Pradel or Eperon D’or. I wonder if they were legitimately made for the Swiss army or might be considered and early knock off? Though you found it in Switzerland so maybe it’s legit, since both Wenger and Victorinox made them
Hi @amandafclark Eperon D’or means ‘Order of the Golden Spur’ and is some kind of Papal order of chivalry.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Golden_Spur .. apparently.
I knew the translation but didn’t know the order. that’s fascinating 😉 I wonder if they made made “Swiss” Army knives for the Vatican Army. but why use the Swiss flag or were the Swiss part of the order? – unless it was “in the style of” the Swiss army knife
And here is a video.. http://youtu.be/lHR8EcEVD0M
the one in the video looks like it is the mother of pearl, not the bone/ivory like yours
I’m not sure if i did find it in Switzerland. That may be a false memory. I am thinking i bought it in a french junk shop now. I need to ask the person i was with at the time. I just found and linked some images from a Russian knife that has similar scales to mine.
ahh perhaps 😉 Russia too? the flag is interesting too as its an awkward shape to
i have the same and i can reed made in france
i dont now manufacture but can reed made in france