Early luft drooptail buckle, right or not?

[Dion]

Hey Guys,

I have the opportunity to purchase this buckle, although I have one already. But, this one`s detailing is much better than mine! However, when comparing it to mine, it is very different in several ways?? I know there were many manufacturers, but, in my opinion, when you look at the sleeve that carries the prongs, its not aluminium like mine, nor is the catch an integral part of the buckle, like mine?? It looks to be a aluminium wire soldered onto the rear of the buckle!
Could you please give me some advice on this piece It would be greatly appreciated Guys!!! Thanks in advance....

Cheers,
Dion

[Dion]

The reverse

[Dion]

Close up of the sleeve that carries the prongs. It looks to be some sort of nickle plated metal, and not Aluminium?

[regiment739]

Is the buckle itself nickel plated? To me it looks like an early nickel parade buckle with the smooth finish like that, the post bar, prongs and sleeve could be a replacement, what does the rivet look like?

Ben

[Dion]

HI Ben,

You know, the finish is a little strange to me !
The surface of the belt buckle might just be plated, cause it is definately an alu buckle, but the surface does`nt look like Aluminium? Alu does`nt get rust marks on it, and this buckle definately has small rust particals on the surface? The highlighted areas , like the wreath and eagle have no more plating on them, and they definately are aluminium.

The bottom of the rivet has rusted and the dome of the rivet is definately nickle plated! So yeah, you might just be right when you say it could be a parade buckle.

Cheers,
Dion

[regiment739]

Hi Dion, to me the buckle is an early nickel plated parade buckle, I do not collect Luftewaffe buckle any more but this is what I believe your buckle to be, it is original

Ben

[helmutderpa]

Hello Dion,

Alltough the eagle's design is very nice and convincing, I am quite sure that this buckle is a fake.

Wrong catch, wrong prongs (wrong cutting) and wrong construction.

Wish I could show pics of another of these (rather old) fakes.
But I agree that it is looking superb from the outside.

[Chad Williams]

I also believe this is no good..I am farmiliar with this eagle design, but there are way too many red flags on everything else.. as helmetdurpa pointed out, the catch as well as the prong and sleeve are hideous!! Chad