Prussian steel variant (?)

[Kurt Doench]

Hello all,

pictures are of a steel Prussian buckle. It’s not a M15: brass prong bar and prongs, also the roundel is not steel but rather looks like a standard M95 nickel roundel with patina to the deeper parts, and although this doesn’t really come out in the pic, the color is quite different from the body. There are no paint traces on the buckle at all. Also note the variant catch.

Does anyone have one like it, or know what it was for? I’d be most interested in any suggestions.

Thanks in advance!

Schleppfux

[Kurt Doench]

... and a pic of the obverse

[Marc verstraete]

Hello,

I also have this buckle in my collection, there exist lots of variations of WWI Prussian buckles (my collection has 150+ and I stopped counting) WWI buckles do not have the same regulations as the WWII buckles and many small factory’s still made buckles by hand. This one has been made with pieces of 3 different periods. 1915 body with 1895 type prongs and early 1900’s inset. The type of catch on your buckle and the overall shape make me think the buckle was made late during the war, probably 1917 or 1918.

Marc V.

[Kurt Doench]

Thanks, Marc. Sounds plausible. By the way, do you have one of the "proper" M95-style nickle buckles (nickle body and nickle roundel)?

Greetings,

Schleppfux

[Marc verstraete]

Hello,

Here are some of the nickel or nickel-plated WWI period buckles I have.
Two of them are nickel and two are steel buckles with nickel / silver plating.
I also have a steel Prussian buckle painted silver and more variations of the above.
Marc

[Kurt Doench]

Great! Thanks again, Mark

Schleppfux