The Eye Brand Guide – Dating Carl Schleiper German Eye Brand Knives
By Mark Cole
The Carl Schlieper Company of Solingen, Germany, manufacturer of cutlery known as “German Eye” or “Eye Brand,” has produced some of the most highly collectible knives in the hobby. The distinctive Eye tang stamp that became the symbol for the brand beginning in 1885 was introduced in the United States approximately ten years after the end of World War II. Because little information was available on the company, its products, and its eccentric logo, for half a century the brand has carried a mystique within the knife collecting community. For the new generation of knife collectors who value investment potential as much as the pleasure of the hunt, vintage Eye Brand knives in mint condition offer limited availability, high quality and more potential upside than almost any other knife brand.
From an economic perspective, prices for premium examples of Schlieper knives have remained more stable than most cutlery collectibles, even during recent recessions. This distinction is owed to a loyal army of collectors that recognize the value and collectability of the brand compared to knives of other companies. Current market conditions hint that an increase in the value of Eye Brand products is coming, perhaps more so than for any other knife line, and recent auction prices reiterate that it may already be here. Still, as more information becomes available and more knowledgeable collectors find Eye Brand, diligent collectors can find value, particularly among the little known, more uncommon brands associated with Schlieper.
This article appears in the February 2022 issue of KNIFE Magazine. Premium Online Members can read the whole thing by clicking the blue button below: