AF Belt and Buckle

[BostonMark]

I'd like opinions on this belt and buckle I found in Tulsa recently.

Comments are welcome!

How early is the buckle? The tab is marked 1936 and the belt looks tropical.

Is it rare? What about the markings on the leather?

Hope you like the high quality pics ... used but not abused with wire to hold the tab together.

My question for the experts is what you think of the eagle head, 1935 or 1936?

I had to use my bandwith to post

http://p38guns.com/BuckleForum.htm

[Belten]

The buckle is an original 'droop tail' or first pattern type, and the tab appears to be unit-marked, which can be deciphered to pinpoint the unit of its previous owner. This design was introduced in 1935, and apparently phased out by 1938. As such, the buckle and belt were not originally paired together.

I don't collect belts, so I can't speak to the authenticity of yours, but it certainly looks alright, given my limited knowledge on the subject.

[BostonMark]

Thanks!

My real question as I have seen in the Angola book is if the eagle is a 1935 or 1936?

The prototype 1935's seem to have a more drooped head but I am not the expert here.

I think my photos speak for examination.

Mark

[klr]

The eagle is a first pattern Luftwaffe. Lots of companies made these and there is slight variation from company to company. 35-37 is the first pattern eagle. The tab may be original to the buckle but with the thread being gone it could have been added. You might campair it to other 1st pattern buckles from the same maker. The belt looks good but it shouldn't have been used with this buckle.

[BostonMark]

What buckle would be for the belt if correct?

Why would they be mixed up?

I paid $225.00 for the rig so I don't think I was hurt on this?

Mark

[Belten]

In response to your earlier question, I've never observed that the size or shape of the eagle's head on a Luftwaffe buckle should have any bearing on when it was made. As Kir says above, whatever differences you might find are due to manufacturers' variants.

Those webbed belts didn't come into use until after the tenure of the first pattern Luftwaffe buckle, so they would not normally be found together. Of course, it's possible that the serviceman decided to use his old buckle along with his new belt, or that some other like scenario took place, but that would only be speculation.

[klr]

Never say never but the web belts would usually be used with steel buckles that were painted. They were more suited to combat than the aluminum buckles.

Kirby

[BostonMark]

My "gut" feeling was that the web belts are hard to find so I bought it based on the belt being somewhat rare and apparently the web belt is 100% correct.

Thanks!

[klr]

I wouldn't consider the belt rare but it does look like a nice one. The larger the size the more it is worth. The belt is worth more than the buckle, because of the condition of the buckle and tab.