KNEISSL Brand Snow Skis:

TL;DR — For Collectors

• Founded: 1861 (Kufstein, Austria) — first skis produced circa 1919
• Founder: Franz Kneissl (wheel factory); Franz Kneissl I started serial ski production
• Known For: Austria's oldest ski brand. Creator of the White Star — the world's first synthetic ski with wooden core (1960). James Bond film appearance. Multiple bankruptcies and revivals.
• Collector Targets: White Star (any generation), Karl Schranz-era racing models, 1960s–1970s topsheet graphics, James Bond-era White Stars.
• Why It Matters: Kneissl's White Star changed ski construction forever. Its James Bond connection makes it one of the most culturally recognizable vintage ski brands in the world.

Overview

Kneissl is the oldest ski brand in Austria — and one of the oldest in the world. Founded as a wheel factory in Kufstein in 1861, the company began producing skis around 1919 and went on to create one of the most important innovations in ski history: the White Star, the world's first synthetic ski with a wooden core, unveiled in 1960.

For collectors, Kneissl is a brand of extremes. Its highs include the White Star revolution, Karl Schranz's racing dominance, a starring role in a James Bond film, and the invention of the carving ski. Its lows include multiple bankruptcies, corporate shuffles across three continents, and production moves from Kufstein to Czech Republic and back. That turbulence makes Kneissl skis from the golden era (1960s–1980s) particularly collectible — they represent a brand at its creative peak before the corporate chaos began.

History

1) The Wheel Factory Origins (1861–1919)

Franz Kneissl established a wheel factory in Kufstein, Austria, in 1861. The Tyrolean town sits in the Inn Valley near the German border — a natural crossroads for Alpine trade and manufacturing. For nearly six decades, the Kneissl factory focused on wooden wheels and carriage components, building the woodworking expertise that would later translate directly into ski construction.

Around 1919, Franz Kneissl I began the first serial production of alpine skis in Austria. This wasn't a pivot — it was an expansion. The same wood-shaping skills that built carriage wheels could build ski blanks, and the growing popularity of alpine skiing across the Tyrol created demand that a Kufstein workshop was perfectly positioned to meet.

2) The White Star Revolution (1960s)

Kneissl's defining moment came in 1960 with the unveiling of the White Star — the world's first synthetic ski with a wooden core. The White Star featured screwed-in edges and a construction that was revolutionary for its time, combining synthetic materials with traditional wood in a way no manufacturer had achieved before.

Karl Schranz, one of the greatest Austrian alpine racers of the era, made the White Star one of the most sought-after skis in the world. Schranz's racing success gave Kneissl credibility at the highest competitive level, and the White Star became synonymous with Austrian racing excellence.

Then came James Bond. In the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service, starring George Lazenby, Kneissl White Star skis were used extensively in the film's iconic ski chase sequences through the Swiss Alps. The Bond connection made the White Star one of the most culturally recognizable skis in cinema history and gave Kneissl a global profile that pure racing success alone could never have achieved.

3) Expansion and the Tennis Crossover (1970s)

Riding the White Star's success, Kneissl expanded in the 1970s into cross-country ski production and — in a move that surprised the industry — tennis racquets. The White Star Pro tennis racket featured an egg-shaped head and graphite/fiberglass construction, applying the same materials innovation that had made the ski White Star revolutionary. The tennis line gave Kneissl a second revenue stream and demonstrated the brand's willingness to push materials science beyond skiing.

4) The Bankruptcy Cycle (1980s–2011)

Kneissl's corporate history from 1980 onward reads like a cautionary tale. In 1980, the company went bankrupt and was acquired by Trak, a German cross-country ski manufacturer. In 1983, U.S. company Tristar took over. In 1989, BREG (belonging to Hans Peter Haselsteiner and Erhard Grossnigg) acquired a majority stake.

Kneissl did manage one more innovation during this period: in 1990, the company is credited with selling the first carving ski in Austria — the "big foot" ski that would eventually transform the entire industry. But an expansion strategy failed in 2002, and Kneissl applied for insolvency in 2003. Ski production in Kufstein was adjusted, and the Raichl boot division was sold to Mammut AG. By 2006, production was terminated in Kufstein entirely and moved to Czech Republic and Carinthia, or contracted to Fischer.

In 2008, Sheikh Mohamed bin Issa Al Jaber (JJW Hotels & Resorts) took a controlling stake. A "Kneissl Star Lounge" opened in Innsbruck in 2009. But in 2011, Kneissl filed for insolvency again — this time with debts of 23.3 million euros. Al Jaber eventually bid 1.98 million euros to retain control, with creditors receiving a 20% rate.

5) The Kufstein Return and Collector Legacy

Today, Kneissl has returned to Kufstein and produces handmade skis with a small team of approximately 28 employees. The brand's modern output is boutique-scale — a far cry from the mass production of the White Star era, but a return to the craftsmanship roots that defined the company's first century.

For collectors, the golden era is clear: 1960s–1980s White Star models are the primary targets. The James Bond connection adds a cultural dimension that no other ski brand can match, and Karl Schranz's racing provenance gives the White Star legitimate competitive credentials. Kneissl's turbulent corporate history also means that production-era skis from specific ownership periods can be dated and categorized — adding a layer of provenance that collectors appreciate.

Collector's Guide: Key Models

Why This Brand Matters

Kneissl matters because the White Star changed everything. Before 1960, skis were essentially wooden planks with metal edges. The White Star introduced synthetic materials to ski construction in a way that worked — and the entire industry followed. Karl Schranz proved the concept on the World Cup circuit, and James Bond made it famous worldwide.

For collectors, Kneissl also offers something rare: a brand where the corporate chaos actually increases collectibility. Each ownership era produced slightly different skis, and the brand's multiple near-death experiences mean that production runs from specific periods are finite and documentable. A White Star from the original 1960s Kufstein production is a fundamentally different artifact than one from the Czech Republic era — and collectors can tell the difference.

Museum Collection Posters / Prints

From the LongSkisTruck™ Poster Collection: The Hahnenkamm’s Streif at Kitzbühel — where Kneissl’s racers once competed at the highest level of Austrian downhill — is the subject of one of our original museum-quality art deco prints. Kitzbühel — Hahnenkamm Streif captures the world’s most famous downhill course in original museum-quality art deco style.