Boker Tree Brand Commemorative Knives during Wiss Ownership
Wiss bought the American Boker in March 1970. No commemorative knives were issued that year. Starting in the following year they began an annual release of a commemorative knife made in Solingen, Germany. American made commemorative knives started a couple years later.
The first two years came in a regular knife box. In 1973 only they were in hinged polystyrene presentation boxes. Then from the end of 1973 onwards in two piece cardboard presentation boxes.
To see many for sale, and that have sold, do a Boker search at All About Pocket Knives.
Also at eBay.
German Made
The first four years were a Wiss Commemorative with two shields. The left shield with the year and Wiss. The right shield with the Tree Brand Logo and Solingen. All with improved stag type Delrin handles. The first is the rarest.
1971 -
Model 7474 Ltd. Premium Stock Knife: Clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. 4" closed.
1972 -
Model 7588 Ltd. Medium Premium Stock Knife: Clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. 3-1/2" closed.
1973 -
Model 5464 Ltd. Medium Congress Pen Knife: Two sheepfoot, one pen, and one coping blade. 3-3/4" closed.
1974 -
Model 6066 Ltd. Premium Stock Knife: Clip, sheepfoot and spey blades. 4" closed.
Then they changed to having a theme to commemorate (in sync with what they were doing with the American made knives):
1976 -
Heritage of Freedom, the first knife of the Great American Story, Series II. (And the only German knife in the two series.) Model 1010 Ltd. Folding Hunting knife. One blade. 5" closed. Presumably released on July 4, 1976.
Afterwards:
Releases of commemorative knives continued. See List of German Boker Commemorative Knives Sold in North America.
1977 - The Cooper Group issued about two German-made commemorative knives each year.
1984 - United Knives took over and began importing Boker knives from Germany. They were marketed as United Boker.
1994 - Boker in Germany set up their own US import operation, going by the name Boker USA.
US Made
The first US-made commemorative knife was commemorating Wiss's 125th Anniversary in 1973. Along with commemorating the merging of Wiss and Boker. At least 34,000 were made in the one year. Many were given away as mementos.
Possibly due to the success of the 1973 knife they conceived of a series of Great American Story Knives. It was planned to have 12 knives culminating on July 4, 1976.
The first series was successful enough that a second series of 12 was started as the initial series ended. In addition a German made Heritage of Freedom knife (see above) was released for July 4, 1976.
1976-1978 -
Great American Story knives, Series II, 12 knives. The company was sold after the second knife in this series, hence knives after that have The Cooper Group labeling.
This was not a commemorative, but a new series of three knives that came out shortly before the company sale on December 1, 1976. They all had the same boxes and paperwork. These also appear with The Cooper Group paperwork. Initially with presentation packaging, then with standard knife packaging. The 70113 has an identical copy, but made in Germany. It probably came after.
Afterwards:
1977 - Issued American made commemorative knife with "200 Years of Freedom" on Blade. Same as Great American Story knife No. 1781, but with a circular Wiss only logo and a stock pattern on the scales.
1978 - Cooper moved factory to Statesboro, GA.
1984 - The Cooper Group ceased all production and selling of Boker knives.