WWI Prussian Buckle on Estand

[aechols83]

Hello All,

I think the following buckle on estand is quite interesting and worthy of a bit of discussion:


http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=541366


This is in my opinion an original-era manufactured 1-piece stamped brass Imperial Prussian buckle. Since first encountering this buckle I have now seen a few others, including a Sachsen. It has been proposed that these were not service buckles but rather post-1918 private purchase pieces... "Traditionsverein" buckles that were produced for veteran associations.

As many of you well know, the majority of WWI brass buckles are of the 2-piece variety, just as most 1-piece examples are of steel construction. These buckles are also the larger 50mm size and lack the "ears" seen on the standard 45mm size M1895 and later Imperials.

It would seem this is a less commonly encountered buckle and a somewhat unknown type. Attached are images of the example that I hold in my collection. If anyone has other examples of these or further information to share I for one would be very interested!

Best,
Adam

[helmutderpa]

Hello Adam,


Very interesting remark and samples. It is worth opening a thread on this, as there isn't a lot of variants in WWI buckles.

I do not own one of these but I own a 2 pieces iron buckle where roundel is soldered to the body of the buckle. Another interesting deviation that I would like to discuss.

Simon

[aechols83]

Hello Simon,

Thank you for your thoughtful reply These are indeed quite interesting and I agree, partly due of the fact that there aren't quite as many variants within this period.

The transitional 2-piece steel Imperials that you mentioned are not overly rare in my mind but, as you say, certainly less common than the later 1-piece steel variety. Perhaps next in scarcity would be the earlier all pewter buckles which were short-lived due to the softness of the metal which did not withstand the rigors of combat and field use very well at all. The slotted catches were particularly problematic with these all pewter buckles as the central stress point. Finally and very likely in the transitional period between the 2-piece pewter and 2-piece steel Imperials we find the 2-piece buckles with steel boxes and pewter roundels. These are, in my opinion, extremely rare and I have only seen two such buckles. It originally seemed curious to me that they would keep using the pewter roundels if pewter was found to be so much less robust. It would make sense though that they were maybe trying to "use up" these roundels which themselves don't have any stress applied to them from the belt rig. I have attached a couple images of the lot in which I saw one of these steel/pewter roundel Imperials. On a completely divergent note, check out the extremely rare "steel back" DRGM marked SA in this grouping!

Back to the the 1-piece brass 50mm buckles... it seems they remain a somewhat enigmatic type. Again if anyone has images, information or an opinion on these buckles (including the types mentioned above) that would be most interesting and appreciated!

Best,
Adam