SS Buckles to collect: The ultimate list

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
RZM 24

This is the first marking from the Overhoff firm marked only with his first RZM number to comply with early RZM regulations.

This buckle is the one already pictured page 210 in Peter Nash's book.
Buckle still available for sale.
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
RZM SS 35/36
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This is the first marking under SS contract. It must be read as RZM 36/35 SS (36 = Overhoff / 35 = Year of manufacture) and not differently.
This buckle retains all the dull silver coating required by SS regulation.

Pictures are still mine but buckle sold to Paolo B. (Italy)
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
RZM SS 36/36
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This is the latest marking found on early SS buckles made in neusilber (nickel silver) by Overhoff. Of course it is under SS contract number. As the previous buckle it must be read as RZM 36/36 SS (36 = Overhoff / 36 = Year of manufacture). Already starting by 1935 the use of nickel silver for manufacturing belt buckles was no longer allowed. Probably those buckles were accepted just to allow finishing already in factory blank plates stock.

Leather tab is original to the buckle but was added by end user, not a factory setup. This is the buckle pictured in Peter Nash book.

Pictures are mine, but buckle is sold to Ric (your moderator).
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

This ends the early SS buckles part (for EM). A point to note common for ALL the above posted SS buckles: they could have been made from various plates of metal (copper, brass, solid nickel silver...) and could then been finished with various methods (nickel-ed, plated, chromed, sprayed...). They also have been fitted with various post sleeves assemblies (post/sleeve/prongs) and catches. Post sleeve assemblies and catches were sometimes made by the same buckle maker but when the maker was not that important were also purchased in bulk from larger suppliers. In this thread I noted only the main variants collectors are able to find in larger quantities without going to the extend of pin pointing any single difference I was able to notice or find in those 20 years of study.
Markings and buckle design, on another hand, were all shown (at least the ones I know as of today). Hope you enjoyed them since just that first part took me many hours I could have spent doing something else somewhere else...

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Nickel Silver Buckles (Officers) 1931 to 1936:

Steel Unmarked

Period authenticity is yet to prove. There is so far NO valid evidence this buckle was ever manufactured before 1946. The ONLY person swearing its authenticity was long time collector Marc Verstraete who purchased it for his own collection before selling it years later. His belief became an evidence for some. I still list it here since, if I cannot prove it's authenticity, I cannot deny it neither.

Pictures posted here were taken by Marc Verstraete. I don't know who has that buckle now since it seems to change hands pretty often.
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
Unmarked

There is so far only one example known of this buckle. It changed hands several times but still just this one. Since the Overhoff firm was fully granted for the production of SS buckles from the start (1931) there was no need for the firm to produce any unmarked example in the early days. So it is believed to be, like with the unmarked EM from the same company, a factory mistake (worker forgetting to mark it). But questions are still in minds since survived both an EM variant and an officer one...

Pictures are mine but buckle belongs to your Moderator

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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C Ges.gesch.

Until a Capital G for officer also marked DRGM surfaces, these are in my opinion the first SS buckles for officers been produced by the Overhoff firm.

Same as the EM SS buckles with Capital G, I will not be surprised to find out there was not just one but two Types of markings. Future will tell...

Pictures and buckle from Kazuhiro Monden
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C ges.gesch.
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Pictures belong to Yuri D., while buckle belongs to your moderator
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C ges.ge sch.
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Pictures of this mint buckle were taken at a dealer's table by a friend in 2005. Left there I have no idea where is this buckle by now.
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C ges.gesch. + RZM

Same as with the EM variant, the Officer buckles bearing this particular marking are very hard to find.

Pictures and buckle belong to Forum member tk99. This buckle was also published in the Bob Evan's book

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C ges.ge sch. + RZM

Transitional marking, second variant. This variant is even rarer than the previous one.

Pictures are from Robert Iqbal, while buckle belongs to your moderator.

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C ges.ge sch. + RZM 24

Even if I stated only this marking in my listing, there was in fact two variants of this latest traditional marking. One like this and a much scarcer one with no space in the middle of gesch. I will post it just after.
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Pictures and buckle (in 2006) belong to Bill Gross (USA)
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
O&C ges.gesch. + RZM + 24

This is the second variant I was talking about. It is my belief that this one was sold by the Overhoff firm before the one above. It even seems that this buckle was originally first upgraded to transitional with just the addition of the RZM logo THEN the 24 (first RZM number obtained by the Overhoff firm) was again added later. So far this is the only buckle I know like this.

I do not remember who sent me pictures of the buckle in its original condition, or even who was the owner at that time, but the current cleaned belongs to your Moderator. Pictures are also his.
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
RZM 24 + GES.GESCH.

This should be the very last variant with a transitional marking. There was no more the addition of the early Overhoff's RZM marking (RZM 24) to an older marked buckle but instead a full new marking.

Picture of the front is coming from Rusfront when picture of the back was taken by Marc Verstraete (Belgium). If you have better pictures of this buckle please send them to me and I will change those two along with your credit.
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[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Overhoff & Cie
RZM 24

This is the first non transitional RZM marking from the Overhoff firm. Of course it bears only its first RZM marking before the adoption of final RZM/SS contact codes.

Pictures and buckle are mine
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