F A D using Imperial "boxes" ?

[David North]

A brace of well documented and early FAD's.

The roundel detail is I think very similar, although the second buckle certainly started life with a silver wash.

Interesting to note however the dissimilar boxes and clearly on the first one, the shadow or mark of possibly, a previously and Imperial era applied roundel.

Regards,

David

[David North]

02

[David North]

03

[David North]

04

[Kevin Rea]

Hello David,
It looks like the roundel is a slightly smaller diameter than whatever was on there before. But if it were an Imperial buckle originally then why would the prongs be replaced with the Weimar style nickel-plated steel ones as well? Maybe the originals were broken? But why would the scratches on the front not be polished off at the same time? No vendor would offer such a buckle for sale in such condition. I am sure that leftover WWI buckle stocks would have been used up by the various manufacturers during the Weimar era with different roundels, indeed there are many examples of such cost-saving measures by various firms -- Turnerbund buckles transmogrified into WH buckles; DJ buckles with HJ roundels slapped on top; and later on WH buckles overstamped with an Edelweiss.
Maybe the conversion was done by the original owner. Certainly a conundrum to keep you scratching your head.
Regards,
Kevin

[David North]

Kevin

Following some of the posts in the last few weeks, nothing and I mean nothing, now really surprises me anymore in connection with these early NS buckles by construction or detail.

I could publish a book on the very odd SA/NSKK's known !!

I am now drawn to perhaps about embracing the somewhat rudimentary philosophy of simply ignoring the "reference books" per se and for the odd ones, instead, trusting on ones instinct or feeling.

Regards,

David

[Kevin Rea]

Hello David,
I am with you on that. I have been waiting for a definitive reference book with no errors or fakes included, but in the end it is experience, hours of research and a healthy skepticism that count the most. (Great wodges of cash also help). The internet has provided countless pics of rare real buckles and also wretched fakes (the latest wretch being a cast gilt SA with Totenkopf instead of swastika) -- all serving to educate the collector. But nothing beats having a real example in your hand to examine, measure, weigh, caress, fondle, stroke, pet ........
Regards,
Kevin

[buckle1]

David and Kevin,


Interesting buckles. My first question David, why do you think these are Imperial buckle bodies? They are more llikely Weimar period or early 3rd Reich. It does not make any sense that someone would replace the prong bars unless the buckle was totally junked. Anyway the rondels were certainly not original to the buckle bodies but why were they changed? Kevin's suggestion that they may have been done by the owner is credible but why two buckles? The solder points look old and original but today some of the fakers can do wonders with aging a buckle. Who knows? In any event a very tough FAD pattern to find.

Bill

[David North]

Bill

Apologies, insofar as I should have referred to the box as Weimar or early Third Reich period. I think quite simply, that these buckles illustrate an aspect of the buckle making industry of the 1920's where a flexible and ad hoc attitude was sometimes embraced. A pre existing buckle say that has been broken down and reassembled, dictated by the customers supply and demand. I agree with you about the scarcity, insofar as FAD and with the exception of the nickle silver by F W Assmann, are becoming increasingly difficult to find. To date and to my knowledge, only 1 FAD fake in circulation, however who knows!

Regards,

David