Soviet Russia steel buckle

[kass]

Hello
This came from the attic and I was wondering is it possible to tell is the buckle from period or postwar piece? And does somebody has the info when they started to produce metal buckles? Somewhere 1944+?
Appreciate any kind of info and thoughts.
All the best.
K.

[Ciaran Byrne]

Its difficult to date these belts, but the modern ones were made from brass. I have photos from the late 1940s with enlisted men wearing this type of buckle. So its possible that it could date from any time from mid 1940s - 1960s.

[Kozlov]

I can't see the pic, so I assume its the brass soldiers belt buckle with the star on it...

Technically the brass soldiers belt buckle was introduced as part of the 1943 dress regulations... although it wasn't seen until after Victory.

A slightly different version was worn by officer kadets during the GPW.

[kass]

Kozlov. The buckle is made from steel.
So technically, during the war, star buckles were not seen so much on the front, but rather in the cadets/officers schools etc. where dress uniforms was worn? Did I understand this correctly? Ciaran can You show the photos of this buckle in wear?
Thanks.
The pictures should be up again within 24h. The server is down.

[Kozlov]

Oh ok, the steel one - I assume unpainted? That's from the fatigue belt, can't remember when that was introduced, but suspect probably in the late 50's. It existed all the way up to the end.

[Ciaran Byrne]

Kozlov. The buckle is made from steel.
So technically, during the war, star buckles were not seen so much on the front, but rather in the cadets/officers schools etc. where dress uniforms was worn? Did I understand this correctly? Ciaran can You show the photos of this buckle in wear?
Thanks.
The pictures should be up again within 24h. The server is down.

The photo I have is of what looks like a very young recruit wearing a gymnastoirka with leather belt and buckle. Its either late war or immediately post war. It is going to take me a long time to find it though, my missus has buried my box of Soviet photos right under our stair cupboard.

[kass]

Pictures are up again.
In the book: "Uniforma krasnoi armii 1918-1945" (Red Army`s uniforms) is metal one also pictured. I can add photo later.
Ciaran. No rush with the photo. Thanks.

[Kozlov]

I can see the pic now...Ahhh now interesting... this is an earlier buckle as it fastens to the left. The only one I have ever seen that does this is the wartime Naval buckle, although I have never seen the reverse of the buckles worn by officer cadets during the war.

I did think all were brass though and that the steel ones were fatigue ones from later on... could it be that these buckles werent actually brass but steel with some sort of coating that has dissolved while this was in the ground? The naval ones are definitely solid brass...

[kass]

This example has not been in the ground though. It was laying just in poor conditions in one old attic.
Here is the picture. The rusty buckle in the bottom row, right. And can anyone comment on the narrow metal star buckle that is beside of the brass one? Could it be handmade? Sorry about the ****ty picture. Ill try to sort this out.

[Kozlov]

Some nice bits there!

You have a couple of solider made trophy buckles there - made from fascist belt buckles

Also the two brass ones are the ones I have been talking about - a naval wartime one and a m43 one for officer kadets - i'd be interested if you could tell me which way these two fasten... i think it will be to the left as well...

Lastly, I see you have a couple of the dog tags there... anything inside them?

[kass]

Kozlov. Unfortunately these are not mine. The picture is from a book. I like the trophy buckles as well.
Heres a better picture.
[IMG][/IMG]

[Kozlov]

Ahhh ok...

If you look at that pic now you can see the mystery steel buckle is the same size as the fascist trophy items, which again is smaller than the brass naval one - the size of which I am familiar with.

I think this might be still a kadet's buckle...

Perhaps Espenlaub coud help here? He knows a LOT about this era of Soviet militaria....

[espenlaub]

As I can tell- all which is war time made ( M40 for military schools) is absolutely another typr and has mirror type fastening system to the belt. The star configuration and measurement, on the shown example is usually starts production from 52 year

[Kozlov]

Interesting... but what is it Espenlaub? Is it the work belt buckle then?

[kass]

Kozlov and Espenlaub, thanks. At least now I know this buckle is not suitable for building up a WWII Russian mannequin.