Wooden Ski Brands and Manufacturers

© Copyright 2012-2023, All Rights Reserved, www.woodenskis.com

"Dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of skiing with wooden skis"

 

Abercrombie & Fitch

EMS

Ken Weil

Northern

Strand

Amundsen

Fahlin

Kolbjørn Knutsen (KK)

Northland

Stride

Anderson & Thompson

Finnish Ski Makers

Kongsberg

Northstar

Sundins

A. Andreef

Flexible Flyer

Kuusisto

Paris

Swedish Ski Makers

Artis

Gravdal

Laasanen

Park

Swedish Canadian

Arvids

Gregg

Landsem

Peltonen

Telemark Gamma

Askjem

Gresshoppa

Lampinen (Lampisen)

Peterborough

Telmark

 

Gresvig

 

Polish Skis

Testa

Åsnes

Groswold

Limex

Rønning

Toppen

L. Bamberger

L. H. Hagen Co.

Linton

Rossignol

Toko

Beconta

Harju

L. L. Bean

Ruko

Troll

Blå Skia

Head

Lund

Russian Skis

Trønder

Bluenose

Hedlund

 

Rustad

 

Bonna

Herrem

Lyte

Saga

Trysil-knut

Brine

Holmenkollen

Macy's

Sandströms

Tubb's

Broadmount

Horace Partridge

Madshus

Sigmund Ruud

U. S. Propeller

Calmet Summit

 

 

 

 

Canada Ski Co.

Hovde-Ski

Mathis Giswil

Silva

Viking

Dartmouth

Janoy

Mercury

Skilom

Vimpeli

Harvey E. Dodds

Jarvinen

Monarch

Ski Rider

Visu

Dominion

J. C. Higgins

Mountain

S. L. Allen Co.

Montgomery Wards

Eclipse

Johansen & Nilsen

Nordic

Snoglide

Warner

Edsbyn

Karhu

Norge-Ski

Splitkein

Western Flyer

Eggen

Kennebec

Normark

W. L. Stadig

Winner Line

Eiger

 

Norsprint

Stöckli

 

Elite

       

 

Home


R. Amundsen
Oslo, Norway
1925-1932


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

R. Amundsen & Co. ski factory was located in Oslo, Norway. Roald Amundsen was a famous polar explorer who ventured to the North Pole and had his skis for that expedition made by L. H. Hagen company of Oslo. Hagen made 20 pair of hickory skis for Amundsen. L. H. Hagen was not only a ski maker, but a wooden wheel maker.

German-born Heinrich Beck met Reidar Amundsen, while working in Germany. They discussed exporting Norwegian skis to Germany. They saw a huge potential market in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, Switzerland, Poland, Italy and France. In January of 1922, Reidar Amundsen formed the company R. Amundsen A / S. Immediately, the company had name recognition because people thought that the ski company was named for Roald Amundsen. Reidar was a broker and sold skis manufactured in various ski factories in Norway to other countries in Europe.

In May 1925 Reidar decided to open his own ski factory, so R. Amundsen A / S Ski Fabrikk opened in Vålerengen, Norway with 47 - year-old Einar Olsen as foreman. The original wheel-maker Olsen had worked over fifteen years, first at L.H. Hagen ski factory, followed by Johansen and Nielsen ski factory. Five men worked at the R. Amundsen ski factory in 1927. Amundsen explored selling his skis in Canada and the United States at that time. Due to a slow market and low sales, the R. Amundsen A / S ski factory sold its assets in 1932 to Thorleif Haug, of Drammen, Norway for 500 kroners. Thorleif Haug was the winner of all three Nordic skiing events (18 km, 50 km and Nordic combination) at the 1st Olympic Winter Games in 1924

Source: Skimakerne. 1997. Thor Gotaas

Back to Top


Anderson and Thompson
Seattle, WA
1933-1975


Image by woodenskis.com

In Seattle, Washington, Jørgen Aaland experimented with making a laminated ski, a ski made up of multiple layers of wood glued together. Recognizing the complexity involved in manufacturing such a ski, Aaland approached Ray Anderson who was a skier and President of a furniture manufacturing company. In 1933 Anderson joined with Ben Thompson to start the Anderson & Thompson Ski Company, later known as the A&T Ski Company. They implemented Aaland’s ideas and began manufacturing laminated skis. Despite the fact that the lamination approach was Aaland’s idea, the U.S. patent was issued to Ray Anderson in 1936.

Henry Simonson bought the Anderson and Thompson Ski Co. with John Woodward in 1955 and sold it in 1975. A&T made skis until 1958, then purchased skis, boots, bindings from around the world and became a distributor.

In 1961, A & T Ski Company helped Bill Kirschner, a partner in the family business Kirschner Manufacturing, get started with his new ski manufacturing company. In 1964, Kirschner produced his first batch of 250 pairs of skis. In 1967, Kirschner separated his business from Kirschner Manufacturing and changed the name to K2

Source: Skiing Heritage Journal - #2

Back to Top

A. Andreef
1942-1945

Alexis Andreef was born in Russia in 1910. He started manufacturing sporting goods in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Andreef not only made skis, but tennis rackets, chairs, and other wooden products. Andreef received a patent for a variation of laminated ski in 1945.

In 1940, Canadian ABC was founded by Heinz Kuch as an importer and distributor of skis. This company was associated to the ABC Company from Sweden. In the mid-1940s, ABC acquired the assets of the Andreef ski plant, and became a laminate ski manufacturer.

Source: www.skiinghistory.org

Back to Top

 

 

Artis

Made in the Czech Republic

Back to Top

Arvids
1972-1978


Image by woodenskis.com

"Arvid's Style of Norway" Company, was based in Detroit, and was an importer and marketer of cross- country skis, boots, poles and bindings, as well as a line of accessories complementing the cross-country skiing equipment.

The Kellwood Company from St. Louis, MO acquired "Arvid's Style of Norway" in 1972. "Arvids" was a trademark of the Kellwood Company, and was registered in 1973. Kellwood Company is now a leading international private label and brand label manufacturer, marketer, and merchandiser of apparel, home furnishings, and recreational products.

Skis were manufactured for Kellwood by Kongsberg Ski Factory in Norway.

Back to Top

ASKJEM and ELITE
1936-1975

 

Image by woodenskis.com

Image by Knut Arne Dehnes

 

Image by Knut Arne Dehnes


Elite XT


Elite XLT

Elite RLT


Elite Askjem

Elite Tur

 

Ole Askjem, started Askjem ski factory in Andebu, Norway in 1936 after learning ski production, while working at the Gravdal Ski Factory in Andebu. The following year Askjem Ski Factory was moved to Stokke. Kjell Erik Askjem says that they began to experiment with fiberglass skis in 1965 and that the factory was the first mass-produced fiberglass ski. He learned a lot about the way fiberglass skis were made from the Bonna Ski Factory in Lommedalen, Norway.

Gradually foreign ski manufacturers began to threaten the existence of Norwegian ski factories. Askjem ski factory merged with Kongsberg ski factory in 1972. The new company with merged Kongsberg and Askjem factories was named A/S Kongsberg Elite, but in 1975 it was over. Askjem ski factory in Stokke shut its doors in 1975.

 

Erling Askjem (from left), Ole Askjem and Kjell Erik Askjem in Askjem ski factory in Stokke, 1967.

Photo: Utlånt of the Ski Museum at Holmenkollen

Back to Top

ÅSNES
1922-1998

Åsnes Turski ca. 1970 ***

Images by woodenskis.com

Åsnes Ski Factory started the first commercial manufacturing of Åsnes skis back in 1922 when the four Åsnes brothers began the ski production on a small scale. Arne Åsnes, the eldest in a Christian family of nine, got a job at LC Hagens ski factory in Oslo in 1910. After a short time, he was joined by three brothers and in 1922 they started up the Åsnes Ski Factory.
Since then, the development had gone from production of solid wooden skis to laminated wood core, glass fibre and cap skis, with or without steel edges, on an industrial and high-tech basis.

Åsnes delivered his last wooden skis to the military in 1987 and later went bankrupt in 1998.

Åsnes manufactured various other brands to be sold in the United States during the 1970s, including: Telemark, Holmenkollen, Sigmund Ruud, Norge Ski, and Trysil Knut. Customers in Norway and abroad knew little about Åsnes' profusion of models, only that they were Norwegian.

The skis shipped to the United States in all of the different brands also had different colors, such as brown, teal, and red. Skiers in Norway were happy buying Åsnes skis, but skiers in the United States were attracted to the other brands made by Åsnes, due to the brands' myths and cult-status.

Åsnes skis were imported from Norway to the United States by Haugen Nordic Products, a division of Dartmouth Outdoor Sports, Hanover, NH.


The four brothers who started Åsnes Ski Factory at work. On the left, Kristian, in the middle of the image Kolbjørn, further to the right Jonas and Leif. In the background to the right of Kristian sons Jonas, Lars (with cutter) and Jon at work.

From Åsnes's image collection.

Back to Top


L. Bamberger & Co
Newark, New Jersey
1893-


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintageskiworld.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Founded in 1893 by Louis Bamberger as L. Bamberger & Company in Newark, New Jersey, in 1912 the company built its landmark flagship store designed by Jarvis Hunt at 131 Market Street (Hunt would also design the Newark Museum following a gift from Bamberger). In 1929, Bamberger's was purchased by R.H. Macy Co., which allowed Bamberger to keep their name.

In the mid-1930s Bamberger's was one of the sponsors that brought winter snow trains from Newark and the surrounding area to High Pointe State Park in Sussex. They also ran snow trains to the Poconos and Hazelton, PA.

In 1937 L. Bamberger Company built a small ski slope inside of their store, so that customers could try out ski equipment. It was about 60 ft. long and 12 ft. wide. It was carpeted and borax soap crystals were installed to give it the look and feel of real snow. Two ski instructors in the store gave free ski lessons.

In the 1930s and 1940s Bambergers would hold winter sports shows and carnivals inside of their store.

These skis were made by one of the ski manufacturing companies in the United States.

Source: Skiing in New Jersey. Elizabeth Holste. 2005

Back to Top

BECONTA
1959 to 1993


circa 1970

 

Beconta, Inc., of New York, imported skis and accessories from Norway and Europe to the USA. Beconta was one of the largest ski importers in the United States. Their brands included Völkl, Nordica and Look. Beconta was incorporated in 1959 and in 1971, Beconta was the exclusive distributor in the United States of a brand of skis manufactured in Germany by the Volkl Company. Beconta, Inc. was dissolved in 1993.

In the 1970s, Beconta cross country skis were made by Kongsberg ski factory.

Back to Top

BLÅ SKIA
1956-1985

Images by woodenskis.com

Ivar Halvorsen had worked at Ullevoldsæter ski factory from 1931 until he started for himself in 1950. The new factory was located very close to Ullevoldsæter's factory at Kruttverket in Nittedal. For the first two years, the company was a carpentry workshop, but from 1952, only skis were produced. The ski shop was called "Ivar Halvorsen's Ski Factory". Halvorsen focused on cross-country skiing, and produced cross-country and racing skis, as well as ski jumping. The first brand was called Snøgg, which were wooden skis that were varnished and decorated with a blue stripe on top. The emblems were created by the artist Borghild Ruud.

Most of the skis made during that time were dark brown and utilitarian. Friend and fellow coach Gunnar Finstad returned from the 1956 Winter Olympics in Cortina, Italy and mentioned to Ivar that the winning skis at the Olympics were colored. Both thought that it would be a good idea to color Ivar's skis in his factory, so Ivar used traditional Norwegian blue paint to color skis the next day. The results were amazing. The skis were no faster, they just looked like they were. He painted five more pair of skis and gave them to local ski racers. The racers placed high in the standings in local races, while other skiers remembered that they had used blue skis. Halvorsen decided to make more blue-colored skis and in the 1956-57 season he produced 400 pair. All were sold before he made them. Blue skis became popular and the name BLÅ SKIA stuck.

16 year old Odd Martinsen was given a pair of Blå Skia skis in 1958 from his coach Ivar Halvorsen. The popularity of Blå Skia skis contuned and by the mid-1960s Halvorsen had 9 employees in his ski factory. Nordic ski racers Odd Martinsen, Ivar Formo, and Jan Istad took Olympic and World Championship medals on Blå Skia skis. Requests for the skis came from all over as skiers went to visit the factory to see Halvorsen.

Odd Martinsen used a pair of wooden Blå Skias in the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France to win a silver medal in the 30K and a gold medal in the relay. Martinsen's 215cm skis weighed a mere 1300 grams (2.86 lbs.). Weight alone was not the only factor; Blå Skias were some of the first skis to have purposely built camber for specific snow conditions. Halvorsen used birch, beech, fir, hickory, and balsa in special combinations for his skis. After the success of Blå Skia skis in the 1968 Winter Olympics, Halvorsen was strained to keep up with demand in his 8,000 pair capacity factory in Nittedal, Norway.

When Thomas Magnusson won the 30K Winter Olympic race on fiberglass skis in 1974, Halvorsen knew the days of wooden skis were limited. Halvorsen kept his wooden ski factory open until 1983, then signed a contract with Landsem to make his skis for the 1984-85 season. Halvorsen retired from working and the Blå -skia name in 1985.

Odd Martinson is the father of Olympic champion Bente Skare, who won medals for cross country skiing in 1998 and 2002.


Blå Skia factory in Nittedal, Norway

Source: Skimakerne and http://industrimuseum.no/

Back to Top

Bluenose
1920s to 1938

 

Bluenose skis, named after a famous racing schooner, were made in Canada. At one point during the 1920s, there were five ski manufacturers in Nova Scotia. The most prominent was the Liverpool Woodworking Company, which manufactured the well-known “Bluenose” ski, crafted in “hickory, white ash, birch, maple and pine.” By 1929, the rights to the Bluenose ski had been purchased by the Canada Ski Company, which moved production to Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia. In 1938, the Harvey E. Dodds Company acquired the manufacturing equipment of Canada Ski and moved the fabrication to Montreal. Dodds continued to produce solid wooden skis until 1950.

Back to Top

BONNA
1939-1980


Bonna 1700


Bonna 1800


Bonna 2000, 2200, and 2400

Bonna Nor Turski

 

Bonna NoreFjell - ca. 1960s

Bonna Snow Stars - Wooden ski with synthetic base and fiberglass top

Bonna Fjellski ca. 1958 ***

Bonna Konkorranse ca. 1960 ***

Bonna Fjellski ca. 1965 ***

Bonna ca. 1968 ***

Bonna Grenader LS wooden racing ski

 

Bonna was a brand of the Lommedalen Ski Factory in Lommedalen, Norway. Ski Jumper Narve Bonna started the Lommedalen Ski Factory in 1939 with Captain Earl Willoch. Bonna, who won a silver medal in ski jumping in the Winter Olympics in 1924, had previously worked for three years at Splitkein Ski Factory, where he developed his own patents. Bonna not only liked to ski jump, but he worked on building skis.

Bonna experimented with gluing laminations in a ski in Dalarna in Sweden in 1921. The skis were three meters long, with a birch sole and mahogany overlay, which made for skiing ease over the marshes and frozen water. The experience made him intent on making a shorter glued ski, more adapted to Norwegian ski touring.

Earl Willock (1896-1955) partnered with the innovative Bonna, who had ski-building experience from Splitkein. Willock raised funds from people and asked them to sign share certificates, while Bonna provided professional ski-building knowledge at the Lommedalen ski factory.

Bonna and Sverre Brodahl took out patents on skis that they made at their own factory. Both made many skis and of good quality. They bought technology that was tested by Bjørn Ullevoldsæter, pioneer of glued laminations for skis. Ullevoldsæter sold his glueing patent to Peter Østbye, maker of Splitkein skis.

"Bonna-Ski" brand skis were produced by the Lommedalen Ski Factory. The factory name was changed to AS Bonna-Ski in 1967 and models were wooden until fiberglass skis became popular in the mid to late 1970s. The Bonna brand name disappeared after 1980.

AS Bonna-Ski factory also made the ski brand "Eiger"

"Bonna models included the 1700, 1800, 2000 and 2400. "My best experience has been with Bonnas, because they were so well constructed. The 1700 model warps easily in the tail, and is to be avoided. There are some excellent 1800s on the market, but the tails have often delaminated at the lignostone edges. I have a 25% success rate in buying 1800s in excellent condition. The 2000 model is more reliable - I have a 75% success rate with it. The 2400 is rarely on the market, and one has to pay attention which 2400 is listed. There is an extra wide and heavy 2400 with metal edges (I am 2 for 2 in buying terrific-shape 220 cm models), and there is a 2400 which is the same width and weight as the 2000. Perhaps this latter 2400 is an early version of the 2000. All of these models have lignostone edges. I have come across a 2200 - which is a larger 2400 without lignostone or steel edges. It is a beautiful ski, but it needs to avoid rocks because of the soft edges.".....Jim Pugh, Andover, MA.

Bonna Ski Information from a 1979 Advertisement

1600 Bonna - Top flight performance in light touring. High performance for the discriminating skier.

1800 Bonna - The grand daddy - best in wood

2000 Bonna - America's favorite top performance touring ski. Light, strong, and responsive for even the most demanding skier.

2200 Bonna - The recreational ski with Norwegian "know-how" and dependability.

2400 Bonna - The backcountry workhorse for the backcountry experience.

Bonna skis were imported to the United States from Norway by Norfell, Inc. of Chelmsford, MA

Back to Top

 

W. H. Brine Co.
Boston, Massachusetts
1922-


Image by vintagewinter.com

Brine is the successor to the original W.H. Brine Company founded in 1922. Brine started as a small athletic equipment and uniform company, selling to private schools and regional camps and quickly grew into a major manufacturer of lacrosse and soccer products. Today, Brine manufactures lacrosse, soccer, volleyball and field hockey equipment and has become one of the most respected privately-owned sporting goods manufacturers in the world.

In the 1950's the focus of the Brine business was in lacrosse. At that time, all lacrosse sticks were wooden and the only producer was Chisholm Lacrosse located on the St. Regis Reservation, Cornwall Island, Canada. With the encouragement and assistance from A. MacDonald Murphy of Governor Dummer Academy, Ferris Thomsen, coach of Penn and Princeton and Mort LaPointe of Bowdoin College, the Brine family began to explore the possibilities of manufacturing lacrosse sticks.

Source: http://www.brine.com

Back to Top

Broadmount Skis
Bredenberg Brothers, Inc.
Champlain, New York
1911-


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Henry and Edward Bredenberg started manufacturing skis in Champlain, NY in the early 1900s. Their parents immigrated to the United States from Sweden. Broadmount was a brand of Bredenberg Brothers, Inc. The Bredenberg brothers started making skis in 1911 and created the Broadmount brand in 1937. In a December, 1912 Boys Life Magazine, Bredenberg advertised a pair of 7 ft. skees [sic] and a pair of poles to any scout for a price of $5.00.

A fire in the ski factory of Bredenberg Brothers caused $3000 damage in 1924.

Source: Gazette and Farmers' Journal, Baldwinsville, NY - March 13, 1924. ancestry.com,
From Skisport to Skiing: One Hundred Years of an American Sport, 1840-1940 By John B. Allen

1926 Stationary Letterhead

© 2011 Image by Richard Sheaff. Used with permission

Back to Top

Calmet Summit
1979-1984


Image by woodenskis.com

Calmet skis were made by either Askjem/Elite or Kolbjørn Knutsen & Co in Norway for distribution to North America. Most of the ski sales were in Canada.

Back to Top

Canada Ski Company
Canada Ski and Wood Products Ltd.
Annapolis Royal, NS Canada
1928-1938

 

Canada Ski Company was established in the late 1920s. A lawyer operated this venture supposedly from funds pilfered from one of his clients of whose estate he was executor.

The rights to produce the Bluenose ski were aquired by Canada Ski Company from the Liverpool Woodworking Company. 4,000 to 5,000 pair of Bluenose skis were produced each year. Hickory came by carloads from Southern states for the manufacture of these skis.

The company failed in the late 1930s and the ski-making equipment was taken over by the Harvey E. Dodds Company in 1938 and the operation moved to Montreal.

 

Source: Trade Directory of N.S., N.S. Department of Agriculture, Halifax, 1932. 2. Nova Scotia Trade Directory. 1932, 1937.

Back to Top

 

Dartmouth Skis
Hanover, New Hampshire
1940-

Dartmouth Cooperative Society
1919-1986


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

Fred Harris, Class of 1911, founded the Dartmouth Outing Club in the winter of 1909–10. Harris was a native of Brattleboro, Vermont, and by his own account had “skeeing on the brain”. This pleasant affliction had him making skis (the typical size was eight feet long, ash or hickory) and using them on the local hills and farm fields.

Source: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~doc/about/history/

In 1919, John Piane, Sr., owner of the Dartmouth Cooperative Society began selling skis made by the Gregg Ski Company of St. Paul, MN. The first Dartmouth Ski Catalogue was published in 1937 and not only carried Gregg-made skis but Kandahar bindings.

Source: Journal of the New England Ski Museum, Fall 2011

"With the rapid rise in the popularity of skiing, sporting goods dealers throughout the country began searching for a source of supply for ski equipment. Naturally, their attention turned toward the cradle of the sport in this country; Dartmouth College. Here they found the Dartmough Cooperative Society supplying ski equipment to Dartmough students. The desire of these dealers to purchase similar equipment on a wholesale basis led to the founding of the Wholesale Divison of the Darmought Cooperative Society. The response to this venture was so favorable that it has been found necessary to form this Wholesale Division into a separate company. Thus, the season fo 1940-41 sees America's finest ski equpment repsented under the name of Dartmouth Skis Inc."

Source: 1940-41 Dartmouth Ski Catalogue

Back to Top

Harvey E. Dodds Ltd.
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
1930-1950


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Harvey Dodds invented a ski binding in 1934 and received a patent. Harvey E Dodds Limited was a Canadian manufacturer of sporting goods, based in Montreal in the first half of the twentieth century. Known as "The Ski People," the company sold a large quantity of skis which were widely renowned for their finely crafted skis. The company reached its peak sales in the 1930s and early 1940s.

 

Back to Top

Dominion Ski Limited


Image by vintagewinter.com


 

Back to Top

Eclipse


Image by woodenskis.com


 

Back to Top

EDSBYN
1899-1984


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Edsbyn is a town, and the seat of Ovanåker Municipality, in Gävleborg County, Sweden. The story begins in 1899, when the craftsman Lars Fredrik Pettersson started a small joinery shop. He made furniture, doors and windows to new buildings in the rapidly growing Edsbyn. Lars Pettersson's son Ivar took over in 1928 and began a new era. Ivar had studied Henry Ford and his assembly line. The new concept of a production line was used to make furniture.

In 1934 Edsbyns Ski Factory was created, which was another milestone for Ivar. Edsbyn skis would become classic for generations of Swedes.

The Edsbyn ski brandname was sold to JOFA in 1984 with continued production until 1999 in the town of Edsbyn (possibly not JOFA all that time) when production halted after a number of winters with too little snow. Edsbyverken ("The Edsby Works") still makes office furniture.

Wood was and still is the common thread running through the company. The story tells us about how the company has, in a peculiar way, managed to adapt to social changes. Edsbyverken has over the years been involved in various operations but furniture has always been the main product. Many still associate Edsbyn with skis. This is understandable since Edsbyn was one of the world's largest ski producers in the mid 70s.

Edsbyn was the largest Swedish manufacturer of skis in the 1970s with 400,000 produced.

 

Source: http://www.edsbyninredningar.se/newspost_5803.html

Back to Top

EGGEN
1973-1976



Eggen skis are named after Gjermund Eggen (1941-2019). He became a national hero in Norway in 1966 after winning three gold medals in Nordic skiing (15 km, 50 km and relay).

In 1968, he helped establish Engerdal Ski Factory (Eggen skis were made here, starting in 1973). Here he worked as a sales representative, marketing manager and finally manager, while he also competed in national and world cross country ski competitions. Eggen was considered the world's best skier in 1969. Eggen skis were imported to the USA until 1976 and were unique with their honeycomb core, which reduced weight for racing.

The Engerdal Ski Factory was closed in 1983 due to foreign competition. In this time period Engerdal Ski Factory was the largest employer in Engerdal with 26 employees.

After the ski business, Gjermund Eggen worked as a sheep farmer and a builder of log cabins. He died after a short illness in Oslo, Norway on May 5, 2019.

Back to Top

Eiger

Eiger was a brand of the Lommedalen Ski Factory, which also made Bonna skis.

Back to Top

EMS
1970s

EMS was a brand of ski owned by Eastern Mountain Sports, an outdoor sporting goods company based in Meriden, Connecticut. EMS was founded in 1967 in Wellesley, Massachusetts. The first store on Linden St. in Wellesley carried the Gerry outdoor equipment line as well as downhill skis. EMS started selling cross country skis in the early 1970s, imported from Norway. They had Gjøvik Ski Factory, Madshus, and Åsnes make skis for them. If you look at the size and serial numbers on EMS skis, you can tell who made them by matching the style to the three ski manufacturers mentioned.

Back to Top

Fahlin Manufacturing Company
Columbia, Missouri
-1950


Image by vintagewinter.com


Fahlin Manufacturing was started by Olie Fahlin from Scandinavia. Fahlin manufactured archery bows, airplane propellers, and wooden skis. Fahlin Manufacturing went bankrupt in approximately 1950.

Source: http://www.rreid.net/genealogy/AOKBR/STORY/AnnAndJackBusinesses

Back to Top

Flexible Flyer - S. L. Allen
1930s to 1950s


Images by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

World War II Skis


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Samuel Leeds Allen, the inventor of the Flexible Flyer sled, came from a prominent Philadelphia Quaker family. In the 1860s, he established the S. L. Allen Co. to manufacture farm equipment, including some items of his own invention. In order to diversify his product line and provide work during the winter months, Allen, himself a "coasting" enthusiast since boyhood, set about inventing a sled; the Flexible Flyer sled that many of you grew up with as children. As a further diversification, S. L. Allen Company made wooden skis, especially during World War II.

In the 1930s after Splitkein developed the laminated ski, S. L. Allen used its Flexible Flyer name to team up with Splitkein to make wooden skis. Splitkein skis were made by many different ski companies under contract with strict construction specifications. Mercury was a low-priced, hickory ridge-top ski brand of Flexible Flyer.

Flexible Flyer wooden skis faded from the market place when metal skis became popular in the mid to late 1950s.

Back to Top

Gravdal
Andebu, Norway
1919-1981


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by Knut Arne Dehnes


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by Knut Arne Dehnes


Image by woodenskis.com


Hans Gravdal (1887-1972) started Gravdal Ski Factory in Andebu, Norway with his brother Ellef (1892-1976) in 1919. Hans worked in the United States for seven years and returned to Norway in 1917. The demand for skiing was increasing during this time. The Gravdal Ski Factory burned twice, in 1924 and in 1938. The factory was rebuilt with brick and machinery was added, so that the workforce did not exceed 4-5 people. Production increased to about 78,000 pair of skis per year, with skis being sold in Norway and abroad.

In 1966, Hans transferred ownership of the factory to his son Einar and Einar's son Hans Ragnar. The factory burned again on February 2, 1981 and that was the end of the Gravdal Ski Factory.

Andebu, Norway was also the home to Askjem Ski Factory.

Source: http://andebu.info


Image by woodenskis.com

Back to Top

Park Manufacturing Company
Gregg Manufacturing Company
St. Paul, Minnesota
1892 - 1953

Park Skis Early 1900s


Image by woodenskis.com

- - - -

Transitional Logo
Park to Gregg


Image by woodenskis.com

- - - -

Gregg Logo, Mid-1920s


Image by woodenskis.com

1930-40s


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

Image by woodenskis.com

Early 1950s


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Misc. Logos


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Henry S. Gregg was president in 1906 of the Minneapolis Iron Store Company, which owned Park Manufacturing and Gregg Manufacturing companies. Park and Gregg started out making wooden farm implements. Gregg began making wooden skis for the Dartmouth Cooperative Society in Hanover, NH in 1919. Henry Gregg's son John Gregg became vice-president of Gregg Manufacturing in about 1926. Demand grew into the 1930s and Gregg Skis was one of the three major suppliers of skis for the 10th Mtn. Div. during WW2. Gregg also made toboggans.

In 1953, when the Northland/Lund Ski factory burned to the ground in North St. Paul, MN, Christian Lund promptly bought Gregg Ski Manufacturing, so that he could continue to make skis. Within three weeks from his own factory burning, he started making skis again in the existing Gregg factory in St. Paul. As of 1954, Gregg Manufacturing was no longer in business.

Harry Holmberg worked as a ski engineer and designer for Gregg skis in St. Paul. Harry's brother, Hartvig “Hart” Holmberg, opened a carpentry shop in St. Paul, MN in 1943. Harry called upon Hartvig’s manufacturing skills and together they began working on a prototype, metal-edged ski. After three years of creating and refining, Hartvig, Harry and friend Ed Bjork were ready. In 1955 the first "Hart" metal-edged ski was introduced.

Source: Skiing Heritage Magazine and MN Secretary of State

 

Park Manufacturing Company became Gregg Manufacturing Company in the mid-1920s
The photos shown below are the same building.
In 1953, Northland Ski Company took over this same building after theirs burned to the ground.


Photo 8/30/1950, St. Paul, MN
Source: MN Historical Society

Back to Top

Gresshoppa
Kolbjørn Knutsen & Co
1906-present

 


1960-70s


1960-70s

1960s Gresshoppa natural color skis made for Kolbjørn Knutsen by Kongsberg ski factory

 

Gresshoppa literally means “Grasshopper” in Norwegian. Gresshoppa was a brand of AS Kolbjørn Knutsen & Co (KK) from Kristiana (Oslo) Norway. Founded in 1906, Kolbjørn Knutsen was a manufacturer of sporting and leather goods. In the 1930s, Kolbjørn Knutsen was one of the largest ski pole manufcturers in Norway. Ski poles were made from tonkin bamboo, called such because it came from the Gulf of Tonkin in China. Knutsen provided ski poles for the Fritjof Nansen and Roald Amundsen's expeditions. In 1934, T. Mamem Company from Montreal was the sole agent of the AS Kolbjørn Knutsen & Co, selling Gresshoppa skis, bindings, and poles to skiers in Canada and the United States.

By 1937, Kolbjørn Knutsen (Gresshoppa) was the leading manufacturer of ski bindings in the world. Kolbjørn Knutsen manufactured many skis and poles for use during World War II. Sometime in the 1960s, Kolbjørn Knutsen split off a company called Gresshoppa Sport A/S, which currently sells sporting goods in Norway.

In the 1960s and 70s, Kongsberg ski factory made Gresshoppa skis for Kolbjørn Knutsen

Source: Skimakerne. 1997. Thor Gotaas

Back to Top

 

A. Gresvig
Oslo, Norway
1901-


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

The ski logos shown at the left are from a ca. 1926 pair of wooden skis. Aksel Gresvig was a racing cyclist, and founded A Gresvig at Rosenkrantzgate 1 in Kristianna (Oslo) in 1901. His vision was take sporting activity to the people. A Gresvig acquired the Huitfeldt Ski Factory and Sports Shop in 1923, and A Gresvig eventually exported skis to the rest of Europe and North America. The initial “A” was removed from the company name in 1927, and it was subsequently called Gresvig.

Knut Gresvig joined the company in 1936. The ski and bicycle factories moved to Alnabru outside Oslo in 1939, when the premises at Stenersgate 4 were built. Gresvig developed a safety ski binding in 1955. This Kandahar brand was the most popular binding for cross-country skis in the 1950s and 1960s. Aksel Gresvig took over from Knut Gresvig in 1970

The ski and bicycle plant at Alnabru burnt to the ground in 1976, and the central warehouse was built at Askim south of Oslo in 1978. All the shares are sold to a company controlled by Norwegian businessman Kjell Inge Røkke in 1991. The company received a stock market listing in 1994. Røkke sold out of the company in 1996, and Gresvig became owned by financial investors.

In 1997, Gresvig ASA acquired Sport Holding AS and the Intersport chain in Norway. The latter was the country’s second largest sports equipment chain. Gresvig ASA became a holding company, and its assets included two equal but competing chains – G-Sport and Intersport. G-Sport Norge Detalj (later Gresvig Detalj AS) was established.

Source: www.gresvig.no

Back to Top

Groswold Skis
Denver, Colorado
1932-1952


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Thor Groswold grew up in Norway on skis and is perhaps best known as the manufacturer of Groswold Skis in Denver, Colorado, from late 1932 until the spring of 1952. But he did much more than make skis. He spent his life selling skiing. And he sold it anywhere to anyone who was willing to listen.

Thor was encouraged by friends and associates to begin to manufacture skis. He formed the Thor Groswold Ski Company in 1932 and started making skis at 38th and Walnut in Denver. The company was later incorporated as The Groswold Ski Co., Inc., and in 1934 was relocated to 1205 Shoshone St. where it operated until 1952 when the plant was closed. The company was literally started from scratch and as the business grew Thor developed ski making techniques by trial and error and from the little knowledge he had brought from the old country.

Source: http://www.skiinghistory.org/Groswold.html

Back to Top

L. H. Hagen
Christiana (Oslo) Norway
1892-1920s


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

L. H. Hagen and Company was a sporting goods, wheel maker, and ski manufacturing company that supplied skis and sledges to the Nansen, Amundsen, and Byrd expeditions. Hagen was involved with Fritz Huitfeldt and the development of his ski binding around the turn of the century.

In 1891, Captain Christof Iselin from Glaris, Switzerland experimented with home-made skis with his buddies. He went to Christiana, Norway in 1892 and ordered a complete set of skis to be make by the L. H. Hagen Company. This was the first year that Hagen made skis.

Aksel Holter from Ashland, WI ordered seven pair of wooden skis in 1900 from L. H. Hagen company in Christiana, so that he could use them as models for his ski-making business in Ashland. Holter wanted to captalize on the popularity of skiing in Ishpeming, MI. Aksel compared ski-making notes with Martin Strand who also made skis in Minneapolis, MN.

The ski manufacturing business eventually went bankrupt in the late 1920s. Hagen continued in the sports business, selling Åsnes skis. Hagen operated the sporting goods business from 1851–1991.

Source: Skimakerne. 1997. Thor Gotaas

Back to Top

HARJU FINN SKI
1937-

 

Harju skis are generally light-weight, have birch bottoms, and are made in Finland. Harju means "ridge" in Finnish and is a region in Muurame, Finland. Harju skis started being made in 1937 and were popularized by ski champion Valkonen.

Back to Top

HEAD
1972-1974



A U.S. company, HEAD imported cross country skis from Kongsberg Ski Factory in Norway for a couple of years in the early 1970's.

Back to Top

Hedlund Manufacturing Company
Nokomis, Illinois
1949-1970


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

 

From article printed in 1956: In July, 1948, Swan Hedlund met Ed Ruppert and Ray McCurdy at a reunion at a lake in Augusta, Wisconsin, and during the course of conversation Mr. Hedlund expressed a desire to go into business and stated that he was interested in establishing a wood-working plant, having had a number of years experience in this line of work in Minnesota. The Nokomisans advised that Nokomis was looking for a new industry and hoped that the town might be considered for a
location.

A building was completed in late 1948, and the building was sold to the Hedlund Manufacturing Company who opened for business in January, 1949, with eight plant employees and one office employee. Principal items manufactured at that time were toboggans and snow skis. Late in that year the manufacture of water skis was started on a small scale but during the past few years the popularity of water skiing has advanced so rapidly that water skis have now become the main item manufactured.

The plant was originally started with 10,000 sq. ft. of floor space; facilities have been expanded extensively during the past years so that at the present time another addition is being made to the plant which, when completed, will give approximately 30,000 sq. ft. of space in all. Five years ago the manufacture of water skis averaged about 1500 pairs for the year, three years ago 10,000 pairs, and this year it is estimated that production will be well over 40,000 pairs besides
all other accessories and in addition to the other lines manufactured. Employees have increased from the original eight to seventy and office personnel from one to seven.
In 1953 a sled manufacturing business was purchased and added to plant operations. At the present time Hedlund Manufacturing Company manufactures water skis, toboggans, snow skis, sleds and hockey sticks.

The Hedlund Manufacturing Company is grateful to the people of Nokomis for their support and proud to have been a part of the town's progress.

Source: http://www.nokomisonline.com/hedlundhistory.html

Back to Top

John O. Herrem & Son
1938-1948
Herrem Woodworkers, Ltd.
1948-1988
Fort Frances, Ontario


Image by woodenskis.com

 

 

John East and Archie Steele designed a building in 1913 in Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada for the manufacture of not only boxes, but also millwork such as mouldings, cabinets, window and door frames. However the market at that time didn't produce enough demand and the business went broke very soon. John East then took over as sole owner.

John Herrem worked as a shopman for John East until one cold morning in 1922 when he had a serious accident and lost all the fingers on his right hand on a jointer. John East operated the millwork plant successfully until the demand for millwork deteriorated and he was forced into receivership.

In 1938, John Herrem in partnership with his son, Harold, bought the property and commenced manufacturing Norway Pine Skis in lengths from 3 1/2 feet to 7 1/2 feet. John Herrem invented a machine that would turn out 500 pairs ready for steaming and bending to shape in an 8 hour day. In the summer of 1946 a total of 27,000 pairs were manufactured and sold.

Over the years a total of 175,000 pairs were produced and shipped by C.N.R. to destinations all across Canada from Vancouver B.C. to Moncton N.B. The ski business was ideal for providing jobs for students and over a period of 23 years more than 300 lads had work there.

In 1946 a two storey addition was built which resulted in a total of 7,000 square feet of manufacturing space. In addition to skis, the plant made windows, screen and combination doors, beehives, clothes horses, cabinets, sleighs, Swede saw frames, water skis, doll furniture and toy building blocks with the copyrighted name 'Tulla'.

The business was incorporated in 1948 under the name of Herrem Woodworkers, Ltd. John Herrem retired in 1950 and Harold took over. He had plenty of work for his wife, Irene, and his son Peter and daughter Paula.

In 1977, the company was sold to Tom Kiddle who had been the foreman for many years. In 1987, Tom sold it to Jim Armstrong. Unfortunately the building was totally destroyed by fire in the early morning of August 27, 1988. Now the property contains two modern apartment buildings.

Source: http://www.museevirtuel-virtualmuseum.ca

Back to Top

HOLMENKOLLEN

 

 

Holmenkollen skis are named after the famous ski area and ski festival in Oslo, Norway.

Holmenkollen skis were manufactured by the Åsnes Ski Factory in Norway for US distribution during the 1960-70s.

Back to Top

Horace Partridge
Boston, MA
1884-1930s


Image by woodenskis.com


1911 Advertisement
Image by woodenskis.com

Horace Partridge was born in 1822 and spent his youth doing farm work and blacksmithing. He eventually found work as a traveling salesman of dry goods and groceries. He was very successful and decided to join his brother's retail store in Boston. A year later in 1848, Horace open his own establishment, H. Partridge Fancy Goods. He sold china, dolls, toys, musical instruments and games. He moved and expanded his business several times in the Boston area.


By 1884, he took on his son Frank and son in law, Ben Hunt as partners. Benjamin Hunt was in charge of importing goods from Europe and Frank Partridge expanded the sporting goods department. It was at this time that sporting goods began to be advertised in their flyers and the company name was changed to Horace Partridge & Co. The company started selling skis in the early 1900s and continued until the World War II era.

Retrieved from http://www.vintagebaseballgloveforum.com

Back to Top

Hovde-Ski
1897-1960


Image by woodenskis.com

 

Alfred Hovde started making skis in Vikersund, Norway in 1897 in a small workshop. He first made about five pair of skis and not many people bought skis from him, because they thought that he was a rookie in ski making. After a few years, his reputation became more favorable due to good results and in 1912, Hovde started making skis in a factory with machine production. Many small workshops became ski factories in the early 1900s.

Alfred's son, Kristian Hovde took over the ski factory in 1938. Kristian was a good ski jumper, but an even better cross country skier. From the middle of the 1920s until the 1950s, many ski jumpers selected Hovde skis. The ski factory burned down in 1960.

Source: Skimakerne. 1997. Thor Gotaas

Back to Top

 

JANOY
1971-1983


Janoy tur-langrenn, light touring ski



Janoy tur-modell, wider general touring ski

Janoy skis were made in Norway for distribution in the United States. Jan E. Haug started the company manufactured with his company name on them, "Janoy". His name was Jan (he was from Norway) E. Haug. His business partner who knew nothing about the ski industry or the sport, was Floyd Hedding. They put their names together to form "Janoy" back in the early 1970's.

Floyd provided financial backing for the business venture, but retained his full time job at an electrical manufacturing plant in Minneapolis, Minnesota USA, while Jan quit his job at the same company to follow his dreams. Skiing was Haug's passion, and he did everything possible to promote xc skiing here in the U.S. He did not get rich by eating, living, and breathing XC skiing. But he sure got a lot of people hooked on it, as the folks at Finn Sisu will tell you. Finn sisu was one of his best local customers.

Karen Haug Osen from Minneapolis remembers some details from her father, Jan. "I remember him spending a lot of time promoting ski trails in county parks. He helped establish French Park in Plymouth. He even made tracks in the snow with a primitive wood block he built and dragged behind him on a rope, with us kids following along behind".

After Janoy went out of business, Jan went on to sell Edsbyn skis (his middle name was Edward).

Jan died suddenly at the age of 56 of an enlarged heart, in 1988 (just when L.L. Bean signed a contract to purchase Edsbyn skis). None of Jan's children knew enough about his business to take it over. Two years later, the four surviving children helped their mother move from her four bedroom house in Plymouth, Minnesota, to a town home. The youngest sibling was 20 by then. In doing so, multiple garage sales were held and at least a dozen pairs of skis were sold.

"We didn't realize how much we'd miss Janoy skis, especially to feel connected to our dad in his absence" said Karen.

Back to Top

Jarvinen
1939 - 1991

 

Racing ski


Image by woodenskis.com

Image by woodenskis.com

 


Esko Järvinen inspecting skis at the Järvinen factory in 1940

Järvinen skis were manufactured in Lahti, Finland. The last wooden skis were produced in the fall of 1974 and the company went bankrupt in 1991. The 1970-built building is now demolished. Esko Järvinen's son has resumed a small-scale forest ski production under the Järvinen name.

Esko Järvinen was a Finnish nordic combined skier who competed in the late 1920's and early 1930's. He won an individual bronze at the 1929 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Zakopane.

Note: Jukka Järvinen is NOT related to Esko Järvinen, neither is the Nanogrip/Optigrip ski inventor Matti Järvinen.

Source: http://www.laulumaa.fi

 

Back to Top

J. C. Higgins
1908-1964


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


J. C. Higgins was a name brand of the Sears Roebuck Company. Many people ask if there was a real "J.C. Higgins" who worked for Sears. There certainly was. John Higgins began working for Sears in 1898 as the manager of the headquarters' office bookkeepers and retired as company comptroller in 1930.

"John Higgins" the employee became "J.C. Higgins" the brand name during a discussion in 1908 among Sears' executives of possible names for a new line of sporting goods. At this point, the story gets a bit murky, but Higgins' name was suggested and John Higgins consented to Sears use his name. Since he did not have a middle initial, Sears added the "C."

In 1908, the Western Sporting Goods Company in Chicago began putting J.C. Higgins on baseballs and baseball gloves sold in Sears catalogs. By 1910, the J.C. Higgins trademark was extended to cover footballs and basketballs. Later, the popularity of the Higgins brand—combined with the wider participation of American youth in sports—led Sears to place tennis equipment, soccer balls, volleyballs, boxing equipment and baseball uniforms in the J.C. Higgins line.

By the 1940s, J.C. Higgins represented all Sears fishing, boating and camping equipment. After the Second World War, Sears consolidated all sporting goods under the J.C. Higgins brand name and added it to a line of luggage.

J.C. Higgins skis were exclusively made by the Gregg Manufacturing Company from St. Paul, MN

The J.C. Higgins brand disappeared shortly after Sears introduced the Ted Williams brand of sporting and recreation goods in 1961.

Source: searsarchives.com

Back to Top

 

Johansen & Nilsen
Oslo (Kristianna), Norway
1898-1957


ca pre-1926
Image by woodenskis.com


1930s
Image by woodenskis.com


1940s
Image by woodenskis.com

Several of the first ski makers in Norway were wheel makers. Ski making was natural for them because they had the proper tools and they knew how to work with wood.

Hågen Johansen began to learn how to make skis and sold his first pair of skis in 1898. He and companion Bernt Nilsson started Johansen and Nielsen, which was one of Norway's largest and longest running ski factories.

Johansen and Nilsen worked closely with the firm A / S Norway Ski, founded by exiled Russian Helge König and Thorleif Aas in 1926 in terms of exports of Norwegian ski equipment. Madshus and Johansen and Nilsen were the two top ski factories in Norway in 1930, selling 6,000 pairs.

In 1948, Sverre Bævre from Johnsen and Nilsen visited Canada and the US. His visit generated ski orders totalling about $60,000.

A fire in the ski factory forced Johansen and Nilsen out of business in 1957.

Source: Skimakerne, Thor Gotaas

Back to Top

Karhu
1916-


c.a. 1916-1920
Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

Emil Lampinen started a ski factory in Finland in 1901. On May 6, 1916, Arno Hohenthal and Karl Stokmannas bought Lampinen's ski factory and called the new company Oy Urheilutarpeita – Sportartiklar AB. In 1920 the name of the company was changed to Karhu and in addition to skis, they manufactured spears, discs, spikes and running shoes.

Olympian runner Paavo Nurmi helped to popularize the Karhu name, enabling the company to sell their products worldwide. After World War II, Karhu continued its sporting business and in 1966, the name of the company was changed to Oy Urheilu Karhu Sport AB. In 1972, the company named was changed to Karhu-Titan Oy.

In 2008, Karhu purchased Exel, which had cross-country ski, alpine ski, Nordic walking, hiking, rollerblading, and fishing rod-making products.

Source: http://www.karhu.com

Back to Top

Ken Wel
Gloversville, New York
1919-1960


Image by vintageskiworld.com

 

 

Ken-Wel was a sporting good company that was founded in 1919 by the Kennedy brothers (Allen, Dr. Morris, Bert, Phillip, Nelson and Jack) in Gloversville, NY. The Ken-Wel name had come from the Kennedy's last name and a partner named Wells. Wells pulled out of the venture before the company was started but the Kennedy brothers liked the name and kept it.

In 1960 Kennedy Sporting Goods shut its doors.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_wel

Back to Top

Kennebec
Waterville, Maine
1910-1943


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

 

 

Back to Top


Kongsberg
1939-1979


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

 


Ski made by AS Kongsberg Elite. 1972-1975

Kongsberg (literally "The King's Mountain") is a municipality and town at the southern end of the Numedal valley, in the county of Buskerud, Norway. The town is known for many great ski jumpers.

"Kongsberg" ski factory was started in 1939 by ski jumper Sigurd Hoff. Hoff had managed the Brødrene Hoff ski factory in Rollag, Norway for ten years. When Sigurd moved the business to Kongsberg, it was natural to change the name of the ski brand to Kongsberg Skifabrikk. He thought that Kongsberg sounded better, because the name was good for advertising and it had a kind of seal of approval, because ski jumpers from there dominated the national and international ski scene. Sigurd Hoff was manager of the factory until 1946

In 1946, famous ski jumper Birger Ruud was hired as manager and he changed the name of the company to Kongsberg Skifabrikk, Birger Ruud and Co. Ruud was involved until 1953

In 1954, Birger Ruud resigned and Sigurd Hoff took back over as manager. Hoff was involved until 1972.

Big changes came for Kongsberg in 1972. Kongsberg merged with Askjem Skifabrikk from Stokke, Norway. Due to the change of company structure, the company had to be re-organized and the name changed to AS Kongsberg Elite. Some of the skis were made in Kongsberg and some were made in Stokke. For a couple of years in the early 1970s, Kongsberg made skis for the American company Head"

Kongsberg Elite struggled financially in the mid-1970s and they were taken over by Einar Elvrum Teknisk Bedrift (EETB) AS in 1975. Most of the Kongsberg employees remained there until the business was shut down in 1979.

Side note: Kongsberg made a brand of ski called Blefjell. The first model came out with just the name Ble, which brought lots of attention from Denmark. Ble means diaper in Danish, so Kongsberg changed the name to Blefjell

Source: Kjell Gunnar Hoff

Back to Top

Kuusisto
Orimattila, Finland (Suomi)
1973

Shown here are the various logos of Kuusisto Ski Company from Finland. Erä means forest ski.

 

 

Back to Top

LAASANEN
1922-1991

The ski factory of Laasanen (official name Laasasen Suksi or Laasasen Suksitehdas) was located in Veteli, Finland.

Founder of the factory was Mr. Leander Laasanen (1892-1985), a carpenter who also made furniture and musical instruments. Ski making was later carried on by Leander's three sons: Erkki, Reino and Kullervo.

Laasanen skis were awarded in Lahti Ski Exhibition of 1926. During the wartime 1939-1945, Laasanen supplied the Finnish Army with skis. In the 70s and beyond, only about 5% of their production was sold in domestic markets.
Laasanen skis were mostly exported to countries like Canada, USA and Sweden.

An importer from Kenosha, WI, named Wilho Knutti, imported the skis into the United States. Most of the skis were sold to people living in Wisconsin and Michigan. He was raised in Finland, and in the Upper Penninsula of Michigan.

12.13.09 - "Wilho is still around, and living in Neenah, WI. Definitely in his 70's by now, but a real promoter of x-c, and xc racing. He dragged me from So. Wisconsin up to Calumet, Houghton, and Copper Harbor on many a late Friday night in the early 70's, to race at Swedetown, MTU Trails, or over Brockway Mountain. His father, who fought the Russians on skis in the late 30's, lived many years in Baraga, MI, never learned to speak English, but brought Wilho over from Finland when he was a kid."......Tony Hartman, Madison, WI

A small amount of Laasanen skis are preserved in Lahti Ski Museum.


Source: Tony Hartman and Lahti Ski Museum

Back to Top


Landsem and Norsprint
1946-1987

Landsem ca. 1970 ***

Landsem ca. 1966 ***



Made by Landsem Små Ski

 

In 1918, Ole Jonsen Haltli started manufacturing wooden skis in Rindal, Norway.

Even Landsem got a job at Ole Haltli’s in the 1930s. He was a good skier and made his first own skis home at the Landsem farm at the age of 12. Even Landsem took over production of wooden skis in 1946, naming his brand "Landsem". The first year of production, over 100,000 pairs were made. Even developed his business to be the largest employer in Rindal , Landsem Skifabrikk, with about 70 employees in 1970-1980. Landsem specialized in making competition skis, while a breakoff company called Landsem Små Ski made children's and touring skis.

Even Landsem put balsa wood in the middle of the skis, which made them extra light and Landsem skis were very popular among the most famous cross country skiers in Norway between 1950 and 1987. Landsem used wood and wooden materials for cross country skis long after other manufacturers switched to plastics. Landsem still holds the record for Olympic medals won --all of the champion skiers used Landsem skis through the 70s. In the skiing museum in Oslo there are pictures of everyone from Norway's many gold medal skiers to Norway's King Olaf using Landsem skis.

Old debts and miscalculated investments became Landsem's demise allowing Madshus Skis to buy Landsem on March 1, 1987. Madshus kept the Landsem name until about 1991. Eventually, the Landsem family deposed a large collection of “winner- skis” used by famous skiers like Oddvar Brå and Gjermund Eggen from their ski factory to Rindal Ski Museum. Magne Myrmo became the last World Champion on wooden skis from Landsem in Falun, Sweden in 1974. These skis are at Rindal Ski Museum.

Norsprint skis were manufactured by Landsem Små Ski in Rindal, Norway for U.S. distribution by Brunswick Corporation.

Click here to read about Edgar Kattem's personal memories from working at the Landsem Ski Factory from 1968-1981.

Source: Rindal Ski Museum and Skimakerne

Back to Top

Lampinen (Lampisen)
1901-1986

Lampinen L-10 Kilpa (competition) ca. 1965 ***


Lampinen skis made in Porvoo, Finland ca. 1901-1916

Lampinen is the family name and Lampisen is the genetive form of Lampinen. The brand names are both from the same company and factory.

Emil Lampinen ski factory was founded in Porvoo in the village of Kerkkoo, Finland in 1901 by Emil Lampinen (1883-1961). It was sold to a Helsinki sports company (Oy Urheilutarpeita) in 1916. Emil Lampinen then set up a new ski factory in 1922 and continued producing skis for over 50 years.

Lampinen used modified laminated wooden ski technology acquired from Lindex since 1946. The Lampinen factory became unprofittable, therefore, the factory closed in 1986.

Back to Top

Limex
1943 -


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 


Image by woodenskis.com

1944 Limex Ski Factory in Tobo, Sweden

 

 

 

The Limex Ski Factory is located at AB Tobo Mill in Sweden and manufactures the world famous Kneissl and Limex-skis.

Birger Svensson (1883-1944) started the Monarch Bicycle Factory and expanded the business to many other areas. In 1938, he bought a ski factory and started producing skis called Limex in 1943.

Back to Top

Linton
~1938-1955

 

Walter Linton started making skis in Denver in the late 1930s and had the name trademarked in 1939. According to Phil Clark of Georgetown, Colorado, "Linton manufactured skis on the site now occupied by the art museum in Denver. Linton sold his skis only through his own retail store".

In the mid-1950s, he ceased manufacturing skis and continued to sell skis through his retail store at 14th and Broadway. We believe that Head aluminum skis started to become popular by the mid-1950s, and Linton saw the hand writing on the wall for the demise of wooden skis. Hart metal skis started being made in 1955.

When Linton retired, he moved to Switzerland. We believe that his retail store in Denver was called "Linton's Swiss Chalet".


Source: Skiing Heritage Journal

Back to Top

L. L. Bean
Freeport, Maine
1912-today


Image by woodenskis.com



Image by woodenskis.com

In 1911, an avid outdoorsman named Leon Leonwood ("L.L.") Bean returned from a hunting trip with cold, damp feet and a revolutionary idea. L.L. enlisted a local cobbler to stitch leather uppers to workmen's rubber boots, creating a comfortable, functional boot for exploring the Maine woods. This innovative boot – the Maine Hunting Shoe® – changed outdoor footwear forever and began one of the most successful family-run businesses in the country.

L.L. began his business by working out of the basement of his brother's apparel shop. In 1912, he obtained a mailing list of nonresident Maine hunting license holders and prepared a three-page flyer that boldly proclaimed, "You cannot expect success hunting deer or moose if your feet are not properly dressed. The Maine Hunting Shoe is designed by a hunter who has tramped the Maine woods for the last 18 years. We guarantee them to give perfect satisfaction in every way." The public could not resist the commonsense logic and genuine enthusiasm of his appeal.

L.L.Bean, Inc., quickly established itself as a trusted source for reliable outdoor equipment and expert advice. The small company grew. Steady growth continued. By 1934, the company had increased its factory size to over 13,000 square feet. The simple flyer evolved into a 52-page catalog. The company generated over 70% of the volume for the Freeport post office. By 1937, sales surpassed the $1 million mark. Leon Gorman noted decades later, "The most important legacy of L.L.'s genius was the power of his personality. It transcended the buying and selling of products. His personal charisma based on down-home honesty, a true love for the outdoors and a genuine enthusiasm for people, inspired all who worked for him and attracted a fanatic loyalty among his customers."

L.L. never missed an opportunity to improve service. While the bulk of sales were generated by the catalog, hunters and visitors frequently dropped by Freeport. A night bell allowed the late-night visitor to call a watchman or even L.L. himself. In 1951, L.L. opened the store 365 days a year, 24 hours a day proclaiming, "We have thrown away the keys to the place." To this day, there are no locks on the doors of the flagship store in Freeport.

L. L. Bean has been selling skis for many years.

Source: www.llbean.com

Back to Top

C. A. Lund Company
Hastings, Minnesota
1927-1945
North Saint Paul, MN
1945-1953
Laconia, NH
1938-1965


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 



Image by woodenskis.com


Norwegian born Christian A. Lund had been doing business under the name of C. A. Lund Company since 1927 in Hastings, MN manufacturing wooden skis, hockey sticks, and toboggans. Lund skis were a less expensive brand of Northland Ski Manufacturing Company of St. Paul, MN. Lund also sold wholesale to department stores and ski clubs with their own ski labels. Lund opened a second ski manufacturing plant in Laconia, NH in 1938.

Lund Ski Manufacturing and Northland Ski Manfacturing Companies were owned and managed by Christian A. Lund. Northland Ski Company was formed in 1912 in St. Paul, MN.

A massive fire, which destroyed the C. A. Lund ski building in Hastings, MN in 1945 forced Lund to move to an existing building in North Saint Paul, MN, which was about 20 miles away. He continued to make skis and snowshoes and eight years later in 1953, another fire totally engulfed the North St. Paul location killing the night watchman. C. A. Lund promptly went to St. Paul and purchased the Gregg Ski Manufacturing Company and continued to make skis for many years.

Lumber for the skis was imported from Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Wisconsin, Indiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, and Louisiana. Gross sales in 1936 were $332,000, of which 7% was sold in the home state of Minnesota.

Source: Lund Ski Catalogue and newspaper articles

Back to Top


Lyte
1977-1986

 

Lyte was a ski brand/trademark created by Sportco, Inc. of Wilton, ME. Sportco also marketed Pacer brand ski bindings and Fels ski boots.

Back to Top

 

Macy's
New York, New York


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

The famous Macy's Department Store in New York City sold wooden skis in the 1930-40s. Macy skis were made by various companies, including the Groswold Ski Company from Denver, CO and the Harvey Dodds Ski Company. Later, Macy imported skis from abroad.

The red star logo was patterned after a tatoo worn by Macy's founder Rowland Hussey Macy, Sr. At the age of fifteen, he worked on the whaling ship, the Emily Morgan, and had a red star tattooed on his hand that became part of the store's logo.

Back to Top

Madshus
1906 to 1916 - Vardal, Norway
1916 to 1936 - Gjøvik, Norway
1936 to 1973 - Lillehammer, Norway
1973 to present - Biri, Norway


Image by woodenskis.com

c.a. 1950s


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Madshus ski from the late 1960's


Madshus racing ski ca. 1968 ***


Madshus Birkebeiner trade mark first used in August of 1970

 

Martin Madshus worked for four years with organ builder Peter Berntzen. During this time, he honed his woodworking skills. He decided to start a ski factory and did so in a barn in 1906 in Vardal, Norway.

The first Madshus skis were made from single pieces of wood, trimmed, carved and finished with hand tools. Some of the tools used in this traditional production are still found on display at the present Madshus factory in the town of Biri.

Even in the earliest days of Madshus skis, with little distinction between Nordic and Alpine styles of skiing, Madshus was a leader in innovation.

Major advances in construction came in the form of glued laminate skis in 1934. This multiple- layer construction gave more strength, lighter weight and more mobility to skis. Madshus moved the factory to Lillehammer in 1936.

Laminated skis allowed Madshus to produce more specialized skis, for alpine skiing, for the mountains, for trails, and eventually for specialized track skiing and racing. Cross country skiing became the backbone of the growing Winter Olympic Games movement, and skiing of all types spread around the world,.

The Madshus factory flourished in the heart of Norway, where people know and love the benefit of fine skis. Madshus combined the traditional art of ski-making with continuing technological advances, new designs and materials.

At Madshus, there was an inherent understanding of what a good ski should feel like.
The result was skis that people loved to take skiing.

In the 1950s there became more distinction between Nordic and Alpine skis, while Madshus continued Alpine ski production until 1964. Becoming a specialist after 1964, Madshus built a leadership role in the many types of cross country skiing.

Popularity of cross country worldwide grew spectacularly in the 1970s, and the wood Madshus Birkebeiner ski, a beautiful and multifunctional touring ski, became a favorite symbol of the boom.

Madshus Birkebeiner brand skis were designed/created by Dag Helgestad and Reidar Madshus in about 1967. A US trademark for the Madshus Birkebeiner brand was filed in 1971. Reidar was the son of Martin Madshus, who was CEO of Madshus and Norwegian Native Dag Helgestad lived in St. Paul, MN at the time, while working for 3M Company. Dag was the perfect ambassador for Madshus to introduce skis to the US and with his business partner Norm Oakvik, they imported skis from Norway. The entire idea was to have a special touring ski for the US market. The natural-finish Madshus Birkebeiner ski was so popular in the United States, that Troll-Ski Factory in Rindal started making skis very similar to the Birkebeiners

Skilom brand was created by four Norwegian companies in 1971 to have an advantage in the US and world-wide market. The four companies were: Falk Skofabrik (ski boots), Madshus (skis), A/S Røyken Jernvarefabrik (ski bindings), and Odd B. Eide skistavfabrikk (ski poles). Skilom skis were imported to the US by Anderson/Thompson of Seattle, WA.

In 1968 and 1972 Magnar Solberg of Norway - with Madshus skis -- won Gold Medals in Biathlon at the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck and Sapporo, the only athlete to repeat as Olympic Biathlon Champion.

Fibreglass skis created a revolution in Nordic ski production in 1974, the same year Madshus began fibreglass production in its new factory, opened in Biri in 1972.

It is many years of ski manufacturing knowledge, Olympic medals from such great athletes like, Simon Slåttvik (1952), Håkon Brusveen (1960) and Thomas Alsgaard (1994, 1998, 2002) and Katerina Neumannova (2002) that has made Madshus the second largest ski manufacture in the world. Madshus looks forward to success at the Torino Olympics, and will present the Nordic world with its best ski, boot and binding program ever. Madshus - “The Cross Country Ski Company since 1906!”

Source: http://www.madshus.com and Skimakerne, Thor Gotaas

Back to Top

 

Mathis Giswil
Giswil, Switzerland

 

Daniel Mathis was a wood-working firm in Giswil, about 50 miles southwest of Zurich, Switzerland, on the road to Brienz.

Source: http://skiinghistory.org

Back to Top

Mountain


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 


Back to Top

Nordic Sport
1972 -

Nordic Sport comes from the northern part of Sweden, called Norrland. The company is considered one of the world's leading suppliers of athletic equipment. The head office is located in Skellefteå and the company has branches in Stockholm and Arvidsjaur and a sister company in Tallin, Estonia.

Nordic Sport was founded as early as 1972 by Börje Österberg. A true entrepreneur, who started his career as a businessman at the age of 11. He put on his skis and started skiing to the neighbors in a small hamlet in the north of Sweden, selling weekly magazines and since he has continued on that course. He built a javelin factory in Arvidsjaur, then he opened a sales office in Skellefteå and finally he went out to sell his products to the biggest events he could find in the world. Börje Österberg has managed to position the company and its products in the largest arenas, and built a fantastic network around the world of athletics, and the story continues. By now the company is well established on all markets.

Back to Top

A/S Norge-Ski
1926-1970s


Photo by David Suarez

 

Norge-Ski A/S was a wholesale company, selling skis made by various ski factories. Thorleif Aas, ski jumper and cross country skier along with exiled Russian Helge Kønig formed the Norge-Ski company in 1926. Thorleif had experience making skis at his own factory in Oslo and in his younger years, lived in Germany, where he was also involved with skiing. In the 1930s, Norge-Ski imported metal ski edges, invented by Rudolf Lettner from Austria.

Johansen and Nilsen ski factory made skis for A/S Norge-Ski, before World War II. Norge-Ski had salesmen in the United States selling Norge-Ski brand skis. Madshus and Johansen and Nilsen were the two top ski factories in Norway in 1930, selling 6,000 pairs..

In the fall of 1943, ski making became hard to do because of supplies needed by the war effort. Large companies like Norge-Ski were allowed to continue doing business during WW II. Norge-Ski also re-manufactured decommissioned jumping skis into Nordic skis.

Norge-Ski was an importer of wooden cross country skis to North America in the 1960-70s. Brands imported to the US were: Sigmund Ruud, L.L. Bean, Gresshoppa Finse, Anderson and Thompson, Janoy, Homenkollen, Trysil Knut, Telemark-Gamma, IMS (Inter Mountain Sport), and Norge-Ski.

Source: Skimakerne. 1997. Thor Gotaas

Back to Top

Normark - Troll
1972-1983



 

Landsem Små-Ski A/S was a small company formed in 1969 to make children's skis and perform ski repairs for Landsem ski factory in Rindal, Norway. Eventually, the independent, small ski making company, also located in Rindal, lost their licensing rights from Landsem. Once that happened in 1972, a new company was formed with the name of Troll-Ski Factory. It was managed by former Landsem ski factory foreman Ingolf Røen and ex-production manager for Madshus, Lief Løseth. The likenes of Troll and Madshus Birkebeiners was the result of Mr. Løseth and his experience with Madshus Birkebeiners. At the peak of production, Troll ski factory had 40 employees and produced 40,000 pairs of skis per year.

Nordic Ski Imports, from St. Paul, Minnesota, USA was acquired by Normark Corporation in the mid seventies and was the original importer of Troll skis to the US.

Normark Corporation was founded in 1959 by Ron Weber from Duluth, MN and his customer Ray Ostrom. Weber was an avid fisherman and venture capitalist and he acquired the rights to be the sole International representative of Rapala fishing lures. In the mid-1970s, Weber imported Troll skis from Norway and had his company's name "Normark" placed on them. Through Normark, Ron helped to introduce cross country skiing to the United States. Troll ski factory went bankrupt in 1983 and Weber sold Normark Corporation in 1990.

Source: Nordmøre Museum, Ole Fosseide, and Johan Landsem from Rindal, Norway

Back to Top

Northern Ski Company
1923-1945

Emil Pernu started the Northern Ski Factory in 1923 in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. The building was located on 533 Lonne St. and was about 40' x 40'. To start, he bought a combination machine from the indian reservation. The machine had a saw, shaper,and bandsaw, which he used to shape the skis out of birch. At the beginning Mr. Leskinen worked there and produced one ski per day. After sales increased, they added another worker named Toivo Pajala and he produced five skis a day. They produced two models: Kajanini, and Haaparesi. At the end of the 1920s, Emil sold the business to Toivo and his brother Matti Pajala.

Toivo and his brother Matti lived in the Sudbury area and took over the Northern Ski Factory. They ran it until 1945, and then C. Fielding bought the factory in 1947. At that time the factory was proclaimed as "Canada's Largest Ski Factory".

Pajala later established another ski factory, named Pajala Ski Company, which was sold to interests in the United States in 1951.

 


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

Back to Top

Northland Ski Manufacturing Company
St. Paul, MN
1912-1945
North Saint Paul, MN
1945-1953
Saint Paul, MN
1953-1965
Laconia, NH
1938-1965


Image by woodenskis.com
1912-1918


Image by woodenskis.com
1918-1928


Image by woodenskis.com
1929-1934


Image bywoodenskis.com
1935-1940


Image by woodenskis.com
1929-1940


Image bywoodenskis.com
Post -1940


Image by woodenskis.com
1942-1958


Image by woodenskis.com
1930s era

 


Image by vintagewinter.com
1942-1943-


Image by vintagewinter.com

1941-1956

 

Northland Ski Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1912 by Hugo Kjølstad, John Fryer, and Ole S. Ellevold, former foreman of the Strand Ski Company. After a relatively short time, Ellevold needed cash for the operation and management expertise, so in 1913, Norwegian born Christian A. Lund became associated with the business through purchase of stock. Lund had been working right across the street at Gold Coin Chemical Works, so he was somewhat familiar with Ellevold and his situation. In 1916, Christian Lund owned most of the stock of the company and Ellevold left Minnesota to farm in North Dakota. In the 1920s and early 1930s Northland published some of the first U.S. how-to-ski pamphlets printed in the U.S. Northland skis soon gained a widespread reputation for unsurpassed quality making Northland the largest manufacturer of skis in the world. A series of factory fires caused Northland to move to different locations over the years.

In 1938, Northland opened a factory in Laconia, New Hampshire to capitalize on Eastern ski demand. The factory in Laconia was managed by Christian Lund's son Carl. A complete line of skis, skiing accesories, hockey sticks, and toboggans were manufactured in Laconia. Abercrombie & Fitch Department Store sold skis made by Northland.

Northland was forced to adopt fiberglass in the late 1960s, and became just another ski company—its product was pedestrian. And, unlike Rossignol, Kastle and Kneissl, Northland couldn’t afford to support athletes on the U.S. team, although they did sign Stein Eriksen.

In October 1966, Northland was bought by Larson Industries, which built Larson and Glaspar fiberglass boats. Larson expanded rapidly into snowmobiles and other sports, and then went bankrupt. Most Larson stock was acquired by Wilson Sporting Goods in 1970 and the Larson conglomerate closed.

Source: http://skiinghistory.org & http://www.nlrb.gov, newspaper articles, and personal research

 

Monarch

Monarch appeared in approximately 1942 and was a brand of the Northland Ski Company.

 

Back to Top

Northstar


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

 

Back to Top

Paris Manufacturing Company
Paris, Maine
1900-1965


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

It all started, in 1861, when Henry Morton married Lucilla Forbes and the young couple started making sleds in their home. Henry constructed the sleds by hand and his wife decorated them. Their son, Will, an accomplished artist, distinguished himself as a sled painter, specializing in water scenes and scrolls. Hand-decorated sleds today are much sought after by collectors, but the originals were probably meant to ensure that each sled would be a child’s prized possession.

During the early 1900s, when each sled was made by hand, the company employed close to 300 workers. It continued in operation as a family business, still employing 200 workers, until the family gave up ownership in 1970s and sold to Gladding Corporation.

Finnish immigrants inspired the Paris Manufacturing Company to enter the ski business in 1900. At the time Paris was a large woodworking firm that specialized in sleds and other children's toys, and skis were a natural extension of their core business.

Paris Manufacturing Co. (the forerunner to Paricon) supplied the sledges for both the Admiral Peary Expedition to the North Pole and a follow-up expedition by Donald MacMillan in 1914.

Source: http://www.skimuseumofmaine.org and http://www.pariconsleds.com

Photo from Ski Museum of Maine

Back to Top

Peltonen
1945 -2002

These skis were made in Finland just before fiberglass skis came out in the mid-1970s. Established in 1945 by Toivo Peltonen, Peltonen is one of the leading manufacturers of cross-country skis, with over 60 years continuous history of ski manufacturing in Hartola, 170 kilometers north of Helsinki, Finland.

Peltonen filed for bankrupcy in 2002, then restarted and is now owned by Normark/Rapala consortium. The factory was relocated to Heinola, Finland in 2011. Peltonen makes high tech XC racing skis and sells cheaper OEM skis under it's brandname.

Back to Top

Peterborough
Peterborough, Ontario, Canada
1893-1962


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

Peterborough skis and toboggans were made in a division of Peterborough Canoe Company from Peterborough, Ontario, Canada.

October 5, 1892 work began on a new factory at the corner of Water and King Streets in Peterborough, Ontario. It opened on February 15, 1893 under the name of the Peterborough Canoe Company, and employed 50 skilled workers.

Peterborough Canoe Company also manufactured camping goods, furniture and office fittings and gradually diversified its product line to include rocking verandah chairs, hand painted decoys, skis, and sun stop shades.

During World War Two, the Peterborough Canoe Co. produced a number of products for the war effort, including pontoons for building bridges, assault boats, RCAF crash boats, naval tenders, bomb loading dinghies and shell boxes. In early 1940, the entire production of new snow skis was shipped via Northern Quebec to Finland to help resist an invasion by the Soviet Union.

Peterborough skis were sold through Canada's T. Eaton Department Stores through their catalogs.

Wooden ski production continued until the 1950s, when fiberglass and metal skis infiltrated the market. Peterborough struggled through the transition and eventually filed for bankrupcy in 1962.

Source: peterboroughmuseumandarchives.ca

 

Back to Top

Rønning
1936-Present




Image by woodenskis.com

 

Paul Rønning started the ski factory in 1936 in Skotterud, Norway in the Eidskog commune, which is furthest south in the Hedmark region. Paul's education was as a furniture carpenter. He learned to make skis with wood when he worked with the Madshus ski factory in Gjøvik, Norway, before he moved to Skotterud to start his own factory.

Rønning Treski is Norway's one and only wooden ski factory. Here wood products have been produced since the turn of the century and wooden skis have been manufactured continuously since 1936. In those days only solid wood skis were available, but during World War II, the first laminated skis were developed at the Rønning factory. In 1965, Paul's son Ulf Rønning took over operation of the ski business.

Ulf manufactures several types of skis including Cross Country, Big Mountain, Mountain, Child Skis, and Telemark skis. Development has proceeded gradually in the direction of several laminates. In fact, some of the skis have up to 50 laminates. This is such to achieve a more stable quality and greater resistance to breakage and wear and tear. Well laminated wooden skis provide a very special ski pleasure and the wooden sole has unique properties in the snow.

Source:http://www.treski.no

Back to Top

Rossignol
1907-Present


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

In 1907, Abel Rossignol (1882-1954) operated a manufacturing plant in Voiron, Isère (France). Products included cans, textiles, and wooden items--including skis. Carpenter Abel Rossignol, a very committed skier, made his first skis out of solid wood in 1907. Rossignol wooden skis glided better than others, and in 1909 won first prize in the national competition held in Chamonix by the Touring Club of France. In 1911, Rossignol opened a factory specific to ski manufacturing. Rossignol participated in the first Winter Olympics with success in 1928.

In 1937, Emile Allais became world champion on Rossignol skis. With Rossignol Olympic 41 skis, Henri Oreiller became the first French Olympic champion in history, in 1948. The Rossignol saga was already a legend. In 1956, Laurent Boix-Vives bought the company and started to sell Rossignol skis all over the world.

Source:www.rossignol.com

Back to Top

Ruko
1970s


Image by woodenskis.com

Ruko of Canada, LTD started business in 1956 selling outdoor sporting goods. They are an importer and distributor of sporting and gift related products serving the retail and wholesale trade. Products include: sporting, hunting and tactical knives, swords, replicas, compasses, medieval armour and shields.

In the 1970s, Ruko got into selling skis, ski boots, and poles. Ruko skis were imported from Sweden and made by one of the three Swedish ski-makers at that time: Sandströms, Edsbyn, and Sundins. A series of events caused Ruko to get out of the ski business.

Back to Top


Rustad

1872 - 1980

 


Rustad Ski Factory in Fåberg, Norway

Rustad Ski Factory was the first ski manufacturing facility in Norway.

In 1872 Rustad Ski Factory was established on Rustad farm and later moved to Fåberg, Norway in 1906. Fåberg was a farming village. There was of course a number of small industries in the district, including a number of sawmill operations. But generally speaking, Fåberg industrial center was in and around Lillehammer. Lillehammer Ski Klubb was founded in 1883 and is Norway's largest "pure" Ski Club.

Most of Fåberg industrial workers worked in Lillehammer industry. And some of the industry that usually linked to Lillehammer, was actually in Fåberg. However, there was one industrial company that did not fit into this picture. It was Rustad ski factory.

Simen Rustad

Simen Rustad was the company's founder. He was born on the farm Rustad in 1858. As a 14-year-old, he started in 1872 to create a ski on the farm. Ski was now in its infancy and Simen got deposition on his skis. In 1880 he got hold of an old house, which became his ski shop. Water power provided energy to the machines and thus change its name to Workshop Brooks. When the water flow in the creek became low, Simen got hold of a gasoline engine. It was a far-sighted procurement at this time. Eventually, he invested in several machines: circular saws, milling machines, etc. By the turn of the century, the ski factory became a solid small company that also exported skis to Sweden, Germany and Russia.

Snow skis made of solid wood

At first he used pine, but later ash, imported from Denmark and Germany. The skis were made of solid wood, as glued skis were not common until the 1930s (Splitkein). In 1900 a new and hard wood came to the industry: hickory. The same year, Simen Rustad made the first pair of hickory skis. This pair was expensive. It cost three times the price of other ski pairs. Average earnings for a manufacturing worker in Lillehammer was 500 kroner per year.

Moving to Fåberg station in 1906

Production increased and Simen came up with an average production of 1300 skis per year. The farm workshop was too small and too cumbersome for ski transportation. In 1906 he therefore move into new premises at the new settlement at Fåberg station. In 1916 the company significantly expanded and 3-4 men were employed.

Difficult Times

Simen Rustad died in 1925. His widow, Petra, and the young son John took over ski manufacturing, but the economic crisis caused by World War I made it difficult to survive. The international postwar recession beginning in autumn 1920, hit Norway more severely than most other countries. In 1921 GDP per capita fell by eleven percent, which was only exceeded by the United Kingdom. Average annual production was in the 1920s down to 300 pairs of skis. Most Norwegian ski factories, however, did well through the occupation years, so too did Rustad ski factory, by creating plenty of skis for the Germans.

After the war

After World War II, the market for skis was a good for the Norwegian ski factories. Rustad ski factory expanded greatly with a large new building in 1962. Then the company produced 10,000 pairs of skis a year and went at once to more specialized production (mainly cross country and mountaineering skis). More and more production was exported and eventually the United States and Canada became the major markets

The End of Wooden Ski Production

In 1980, Rustad Ski Factory closed its doors like so many other Norwegian ski factories at the time. There were two reasons for this: First, there was a great overproduction of skis in the world, which lowered consumer prices. Second came the fiberglass revolution. This was seriously visible at the World Championships in Falun in 1974. Norwegian wooden ski factories could not compete with fiberglass ski companies situated in cheaper economic areas of Europe.

When Rustad stopped its production plant in 1980, it had produced 327,412 pairs of skis over the years.

Source: http://www.lillehammerbryggeri.no/index.php?id=7 and http://www.byavis.no

 

Back to Top


Saga
1974-1980


Images by Knut Arne Dehnes

Lage Sundet, former manager of the Eggen ski brand started Engerdalsprodukter in the municipality of Engerdal, Norway in 1973. Saga-brand skis were produced from 1974 to 1980. Saga skis had models, both made of wood and fiberglass. Lage sold the manfacturing business to his brother Olav in 1981, when Olav turned the business into a laminated wooden flooring manufacturer. Many of the Saga skis were exported to North America, including Canada.

 

Back to Top

Sandströms
1910 - 1975


Silva/Sandströms, made in Sweden

 


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

Bröderna Sandströms Skidfabrik was started at Tunnelgatan 14 in Stockholm in 1910 by Alfred Sandström along with his brother. Three years later they built a larger factory at Skanstull. It had large orders from the Swedish army. Due to transportation issues, brothers Sandströms decided to just move closer to wood suppliers and in 1941 built a modern ski factory in Lindesberg.

In 1966, Sandströms Ski Factory AB, in Lindesberg, Sweden became a subsidiary to Jofa AB from Malung, Sweden. Jofa's sports equipment factory burned down on February 1, 1966, producing a need for a replacement factory.

Sandströms not only manufactured skis but also bandy and hockey sticks. Of the approximately 60 employees at the factory, 40 were involved with ski production. Skis were produced during the winter months, while other sporting equipment was produced in the non-winter months.

In 1971, Sandströms Ski Factory AB produced about 50,000 pairs of skis with about 20% of them exported. There were three ski factories in Sweden in 1971 (Sandströms, Edsbyn, and Sundins) compared to 13 in 1946.

Volvo bought Jofa in 1974 and a year later (1975) closed the Sandström ski factory

Source: http://kuriosapaviljongen.blogspot.com

 

Back to Top


Sigmund Ruud


Early 1960s
Image by woodenskis.com


1940s
Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

Sigmund Ruud ca. 1973 ***

Sigmund Ruud (December 30, 1907 - Apr 7, 1994) was Norwegian ski jumper born in Kongsberg, Norway, Sigmund Ruud, with his brothers Birger and Asbjørn, dominated ski jumping in the 1920's and 1930's.

Sigmund Ruud worked for two years in a sport shop in Prague, eighteen years in Zurich and joined Gresvig Ski Company in Oslo by winter of 1931. Later, he opened his own ski making company in Oslo

Sigmund Ruud skis were manufactured by the Åsnes ski company for distribution in the United States in the 1970s.

Back to Top


Silva
1940-1980

Bjorn Kjellstrom was born in Sweden and became a national champion there in ski orienteering. The low-cost sport involved the use of a map and a compass to move quickly over unknown forest terrain on skis from one control point to another. Competition was on foot in warmer weather, on skis in the winter.

In 1932, he, his brothers Alvar and Alvid, and Gunnar Tillander invented the Silva System (Silva is the Latin word for forest). It combined a compass with a protractor built into the base. Silva Company made both compases and skis.

Silva was a Swedish company with a United States division. Silva Company was a division of Johnson Diversified, Inc. (aka Johnson Wax Associates) of Laporte, Indiana. Silva Huski skis had a cherry wood top with layers of fiberglass to strengthen the skis. Huski skis were one of a few skis in the mid-1970s that were made in North America. Johnson Wax Associates (aka Johnson Outdoors, Inc.) purchased Silva Company USA's operation in 1973.

In the 1990s litigation occured between Johnson Wax Associates, US distribtor of Silva products, and the Swedish arm of the company Silva Sweden AB. Silva skis ceased to be made in the late 1970s.

Back to Top


SKILOM
1971-1986

Skilom brand was created by four Norwegian companies in 1971 to have an advantage in the US market. The four companies were: Falk Skofabrik (ski boots), Madshus (skis), A/S Røyken Jernvarefabrik (ski bindings), and Odd B. Eide skistavfabrikk (ski poles). Skilom offered complete ski packages, which included bindings, boots, and poles. Skilom ski packages were imported to the United States by Anderson and Thompson Ski Company from Seattle.

Source: Skimakerne, Thor Gotaas

Back to Top


Snowglide

These beautiful, natural finish skis are made in Canada


Back to Top


Splitkein
1934-1980


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

 



 

Splitkein means "split cane" literally in Norwegian, refering to the laminations of the ski. The truly complex laminated skis didn’t hit the market until 1939, when chemists invented a glue strong enough to hold the various laminations together permanently. These skis were constructed with thin layers of wood that were glued together in narrow strips called “cane” throughout the entire length of the ski.

Splitkein ski factory was established by Peter Østby in 1934 and taken over by Laila Schou Nilsen in 1947. In 1950, Splitkein moved the factory to Hønefoss. In addition to skiing, the factory produced garden furniture, camping equipment and yachts.

From 1950 to the 1960's, Splitkein skis were a dominant force in Norwegian skiing, but like other Norwegian producers of wooden skis, Splitkein faced competition with imported glassfiberski skis. Splitkein was sold to Fischer in 1980 and made skis for about another 6 years.

Splitkein skis were manufactured by different ski manufacturers in North America under contract with strict specifications.

Click here to read how laminated skis were invented. - Click here for more information on Splitkein skis.


Back to Top

W. L. Stadig
Soldier Pond, Maine
1930s-1940s


Image by woodenskis.com

Walter L. Stadig was a mechanical engineer and lived in Soldier Pond, Maine. Born in 1889, Stadig was the grandson of ski maker Lars Stadig, who immigrated from Sweden. Being one having a mechanical mind, Stadig invented an early version of the modern snow blower. His version, called the “Stadig Rotary Snowplow,” earned a total of five patents, one of which is still used by Catepillar in their modern snowplows.

In the 1930s, Stadig turned his attention to making skis, using the knowledge gained from his grandfather Lars. Stadig's skis were known as "Swedish Rift Skis", which means tha they were made from straight grained wood with the bark side down. Stadig tried to sell some of his skis to the US Government and even though they performed better than other government skis, the US declined to purchase then, becuase Stadig's skis were made of birch. Hickory was the US Governement's wood of choice for skis.

In 1936 and 1937 Stadig participated in the 176-mile Bangor to Caribou Ski Marathon. Stadig was one of five finishers in the 1936 race with a time of 43 hours and 23 minutes.

Stadig's other inventions included one of the first ski lifts in the state of Maine. Stadig died in 1953 of a heart attack.

Source: Ski Museum of Maine, www.ancestry.com, Bangor Daily News,


Back to Top

Stöckli
1936-

 

Stöckli is the only ski manufacturer in Switzerland.The company manufactures in its new ski factory and not only distributes some 50,000 pairs of skis per year but also has seven of its own ski shops across Switzerland.

Stöckli Ski has been crafting for 71 years, making it one of the oldest ski makers in the world. In the middle of the 1930s, Josef Stöckli was producing wooden skis for his own use and also for his colleagues. As the demand became even greater, he decided to open the Stöckli AG ski works in 1936. Joseph Stöckli made his first pair of wood skis out of Ash in 1936. At this time, in Switzerland alone, about 30 ski producing factories had been founded. A few other larger ski factories such as Schwendener, Attenhofer and Authier flourished.

In 1946 he set up his factory in Wolhusen, where he crafted laminated wood skis made of Hickory and other woods. In 1957 he made his first metal ski, and in 1965, the first composite-plastic ski was introduced to the market.

Stöckli went on to continue to make skis for the European and United States' markets.

Source: http://www.californiaskicompany.com/stockli.html - http://en.stoeckli.ch/main/company/stoeckli_story/

Back to Top


Strand Ski Company
Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota
1896-1910
New Richmond, WI
1911- 1948


Image by vintageskiworld.com


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

 

The first large United States commercial ski factory emerged in St. Paul, Minnesota. Martin A. Strand, the company’s founder, began manufacturing skis believing he could capitalize on the new ski clubs that were beginning to form in Red Wing, Minnesota and Ishpeming, Michigan. He modeled his skis after the popular Norwegian Telemark ski, as did most ski manufacturing companies of the period.

Martin Strand started making skis in the basement of his home in Minneapolis, MN in 1896. He continued to make skis, while he worked as a surveyor and insurance salesman. In 1904, he partnered with business associate Frederick Youngquist and they formed the Strand-Youngquist Manufacturing Company, at which, they made skis, boat oars, and toboggans. Their business partnership disolved in about 1907, but Strand continued to make skis.

Strand Ski Manufacturing company was victim to two devastating fires in 1910 in Minneapolis, MN, forcing Strand to find a new location. In July of 1911, Strand started manufacturing skis again in New Richmond, WI. He supplied skis to Army troops during World War II, but demand dropped after the war and Strand Ski Manufacturing was bankrupt by 1948.

The success of the Strand Ski Company established St. Paul, Minnesota as the center for American ski manufacturing, a reputation that was enhanced by the arrival of the Northland Ski Manufacturing Company and the Gregg Ski Manufacturing Company.

Source: Newspaper articles, personal research

Back to Top


Stride
1972-1980

Stride skis were made in Norway and imported to Canada in the 1970s. Stride skis were produced for eight years by A/S Gjøvik Skiifabrikk, Gjøvik, Norway. There were four models of Stride skis:

Explorer - Blue - Touring width
Quest - Red - Lt. Touring
Yellow/white lettering - Ultratouring
Yellow/red lettering - racing

These skis were the first ones out of Scandinavia that had "modern marketing graphics" - the attempt to brand a complete line of STRIDE product - skis, poles, boots, bindings, socks and clothing was a great success with well over 2 million individual items sold under the brand in a ten year period including about 23,000 pairs of skis branded STRIDE.

The brand STRIDE was registered by Christopher Goodfellow in 1972. Christopher had graduated from Cornell Business School with an MBA in 1970 at the age of 22!. He went to ski and train in the winter of 1971-72 in Finland at the National training center up in the interior of Finland with a group of Canadian skiers. Goodfellow had the pleasure of skiing many long distances with the famous Finn Olympian Eero Mäntyranta. He soon recognized the commercial possibilities of the sport and visited factories in Finland, Sweden and Norway getting all sorts of samples and a complete product line to brand STRIDE.

Goodfellow gave up racing to promote the commercial side of the sport! He soon had customers coast to coast in Canada and through an associate firm Dovre Ski Binding in West Concord Mass they distributed many thousands of skis, boots, poles and bindings across America as well.

Christopher Goodfellow in 1979 in Quebec with daughter

 

Back to Top

Sundins
1925-1989

 

 


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com +


Image by woodenskis.com +

Eric Sundins Ski Factory was started by Eric Sundins in 1925 in Hudiksvall, Sweden. Production continued until 1989 when the factory was closed.

Hudiksvall is a leading center for the hydraulic industry. In order to produce laminated skis with the right features Eric designed Sundin hydraulic presses. In order to facilitate the loading of hours ago he designed hydraulic cranes for trucks, which led to a Hiab (Hydraulic Industri) founded in 1944. Two years later, Hiab developed a crane operated by the truck's own engine. Ski Production ceased in 1989 but hydraulic manufacturing continued with the company Hiab which manufactures hydraulic cranes and Sunfab, which makes hydraulic pumps and motors.

Back to Top

Swedish Canadian Ski Company
Montreal, Canada

Image by woodenskis.com

 

 

Skis were custom made and repaired for customers in and around Montreal, Quebec.

Back to Top

Telemark Gamma

Telemark was a brand name of the Åsnes ski company for ski sales in the United States

Back to Top

Telmark Ski Manufacturing Company
Duluth, MN
1911-1928 or so


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

After many hours of research, there was no record found of the Telmark Manufacturing Company in Duluth or Minnesota. Our speculation, is that Telmark was a brand or trademark, made by a different company. It's possible that Telmark skis were trademarked by the Marshall Wells Company of Duluth, since they seemed to exclusively sell them.

Back to Top

Testa
St. Moritz, Switzerland


Image by vintageskiworld.com

 

 

Back to Top


Toppen
1938-1980


Toppen light touring ski


Toppen general touring ski

 

Toppen was a brand of ski made by the Gjøvik Ski Factory in Gjøvik, Norway. Olaf Hoff Bakken worked at the Madshus Ski Factory from 1935-1938. After Madshus Ski Factory at Gjøvik burned in 1936, the company moved to Lillehammer, Norway. Bakken started the Gjøvik Ski Factory in 1938 and employed ten former Madshus employees. Toppen was the most popular brand of ski produced at the Gjøvik Ski Factory.

In the 1970s, Toppen skis were imported from Norway to the United States by Haugen Nordic Products, a division of Dartmouth Outdoor Sports, Hanover, NH.

Back to Top

TOKO
1971-1974

 

 

Toko started making these wooden skis in Europe in 1971 and made them from 71'-74. When fiberglass skis hit the Nordic scene in 1974, Toko switched to making fiberglass skis. The wooden skis were made in Sweden and not imported into the North American Market.

Back to Top

 

TRØNDER
1938-1974

 

Trønder Ski Factory was located in Trondheim, Norway. Nordic Combined champion Olav Lian, who had experience from working at Splitkein, managed the factory for many years. Trønder Ski Factory was owned by sports equipment company Axel Brunn, and produced skis from 1938-1974. Trønder Ski got a good foothold in Trondheim, but was never big in the national-scale and the company did not focus on promoting it.The factory was moved from Trondheim to Czeckoslovakia towards the end of Trønder's era. **

Back to Top


Trysil Knut
1960-70s

 

Trysil Knut ca. 1968 ***


Trysil is a municipality in the county of Hedmark, Norway and home to the world’s first official ski competition held in 1855. The Trysilgutten ski club, founded in 1861, is the world’s oldest ski club.

Trysil Knud (Knut) was a name associated with not any one person, but rather a synthesis of the young men of the town Trysil and its surrounding farms, known afar for their skiing skills. As was then the custom, Knud is said to have jumped in military dress uniform, firing a musket while in flight, and to have skied so skillfully downhill in untracked snow that he could speed dangerously close past a tree and snatch a jacket hanging on it.

Today, Trysil Knut (the modern spelling) lives on, in the names of skiing events, gear and apparel.

Trysil Knut was a brand name of the Åsnes ski company for ski sales in the United States and was popularized by Norwegian-American Alf Engen.

Back to Top

W. F. Tubbs Company
Norway, Maine
1920-


Image by woodenskis.com

Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Made in Norway, Maine, Tubbs skis were a major manufacturer of skis in the 1920s.

The company was founded by Walter Tubbs in Norway, Maine, in 1906 to manufacture ash snowshoes, skis, sleds and furniture. Snowshoeing enjoyed a mild popularity in the 1920s and '30s when laced wooden shoes cost about $20 a pair. The company's original heyday occurred in the 1940s when Tubbs manufactured close to 100,000 pairs of wooden snowshoes per year, many of which were used by Allied troops in World War II. "Snowshoeing was as, or more, popular than cross country skiing at that time," Kiniry says.

The company moved to Vermont in the '40s, eventually settling in Brandon. Another company called 'Vermont Tubbs' still exists there, manufacturing wooden furniture.

 

Back to Top

U. S. Propeller
1942-

 

 

J. C. "Chris" Schwarzenbach, an American from Long Island, had gone to school in Switzerland's Engadine Valley. He raced for the United States in the 1938 Alpine World Championships in Engelberg. He returned to the United States in 1940 and bought the U. S. Propeller Company in Los Angeles, CA. They manufactured wooden propellers for small planes.

Around 1942, Schwarzenbach's company started making skis and bindings for the U. S. Army's Tenth Mountain Division under the label of U. S. Propeller.

Source: Skiing Heritage Journal, June 2007

Back to Top

Viking


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

Viking Skis and Snowshoes were made in Cadillac, MI in the early 1900s.

 

Back to Top

Vimpeli Ski Factory
Vimpeli, Finland
1914-1985


Image by woodenskis.com

 

The Vimpeli Ski Factory started during World War I and supplied skis to the Russian army. During World War II, there were ten ski factories in Vimpeli and they made about 50 % of the Finnish army skis. Locals in Vimpeli claim that the Finnish-Russian war was won on Vimpeli skis when about 200 workers were employed in the factories. The factory ceased operation in 1985.

Source: www.vimpeli.fi

 

Back to Top


Visu
1944-2004

 


c.a. 1968


Manufactured in Estonia. This very unique skis has the marking of 'USSR' is on the ski. The photo above is a racing ski from the mid-1960's.

Early ski production in Pärnu, Estonia began with airplane skis in 1939. In 1944 ski production by Pärnu Ski and Furniture factory was started and employed 22 people who made 10,000 skis that year.

From 1958 to 1968 Pärnu Metsakombinaadi made skis from solid wood and later as double-layer construction. Company was renamed in 1968 as AS Viisnurk. At that time the annual production volume was over 250,000 pairs and the skis got branded as VISU.

After the end of Soviet era in 1992, Visu began to make skis also for Atomic, Karhu and Järvinen. By the year 2000 Visu was the biggest ski producer with volume of 300,000 pairs of skis annually. Two years later ski prices fell and with increasing losses, in October 2004 AS Viisnurk Sports Goods Division was closed, with loss of 231 jobs, as AS Viisnurk focused on it's core business of furniture manufacturing.

Source: Ilkka Y., Suomi

Back to Top

Warner Hardware
Minneapolis, MN
1875-1989


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

Warner Hardware from Minneapolis, MN sold skis manufactured by the Gregg Ski Manufacturing Company.

Back to Top

Montgomery Wards


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com


Image by woodenskis.com

Montgomer Ward-brand skis were made by one of the major ski manufacturers during the 1940s and 50s. Ward also sold the "Ski Rider" brand through its catalogs.

Back to Top

Western Flyer


Image by woodenskis.com

Western Flyer was a brand name of the Western Auto Supply Company. Western Auto used the Western Flyer brand name, not only for skis, but for bicycles.

Back to Top

Winner Line


Image by vintagewinter.com

 

Winner Boats, Inc. was originally located in West Trenton, NJ and began building wooden boats, skis, and related sports equipment in the early 1930s. Winner eventually changed to fiberglass boat production in the late 1940s, making wooden skis obsolete in their manufacturing process.

Back to Top

 

Home

© Copyright 2021, woodenskis.com