Is this a WW2 era Kriegsmarine button?

[Jean-Loup]

Hi guys

Is the button on the right a WW2 period German navy button? It seems to be made of aluminum. It looks strongly like some other Kriegsmarine buttons I saw photos of, but all European navies had such similar designs that I would like an expert opinion.
What tunic model and time frame would an aluminum button correspond to?

Thanks

JL

[Jean-Loup]

The back, the KM button is now on the left, with a regular german button on the right.

JL

[NickG]

It is indeed a KM anchor button. Because the outer edge of the button lacks the twisting rope details / / / / / /
(instead its a smooth edge with no rope detail), its a KM TROPICAL uniform button as used on their khaki uniforms
as often issued to by land-based (coastal) troops, which makes sense if it was found in Southern France
or Mediterranean (Adriatic) regions...=Süd Front.

[Johnny R]

I concur it is a standard KM button for a lightweight tunic etc. What are you digging up now?

[Jean-Loup]

Thanks for the very fast and very detailled replies. I have never found a KM button before, so this is quite interesting. I indeed found the button in southern France, but quite a few kilometers away from the coast!
Where these things painted? If not I will dip in in vinegar to help clean it a bit.
Can anybody post a photo of a tunic with this exact type of button on it?

JL

[NickG]

Thanks for the very fast and very detailled replies. I have never found a KM button before, so this is quite interesting. I indeed found the button in southern France, but quite a few kilometers away from the coast!
Where these things painted? If not I will dip in in vinegar to help clean it a bit.
Can anybody post a photo of a tunic with this exact type of button on it?

JL

as requested!

[NickG]

Here standard (guilded) KM buttons with rope details / / / / / / along the outer edge of
the buttons. The plain edge KM buttons can also be found on woolen tunics btw.
I have a KM woolen field gray overcoat with such (tropical) plain buttons factory attached.

[NickG]

Here tan tropical buttons factory attached to a KM coastal artillery greatcoat.
Border of buttons lack rope detail...I guess land based KM wore these in general.

[Jean-Loup]

Thanks for the extra photos. I will see if I find any other KM items in the same area, that could shed light on the exact type of clothing the button was initialy attached to.
If it was on a tropical tunic, shouldn't there be a metal "S" hook at the back of the button, like on Heer HBT or tropical tunics?

JL

[NickG]

Thanks for the extra photos. I will see if I find any other KM items in the same area, that could shed light on the exact type of clothing the button was initialy attached to.
If it was on a tropical tunic, shouldn't there be a metal "S" hook at the back of the button, like on Heer HBT or tropical tunics?

JL

Yes true! Could have been coroded away completely...

[Norm F]

convex reverse?

Most of the tropical KM buttons I've seen are one piece with a concave reverse surface vs. the 2-piece convex reverse seen on the corroded button starting this thread. This 2-piece construction looks more like a gilt button to me, but I agree that is belied by the lack of rope pattern on the edge - hard to imagine that the rope border could have eroded completely smooth like that...
Have others seen smooth-bordered tropical or field-grey KM buttons which have the 2-piece construction with convex ("bulging-out") reverse to them?
Best regards,
---Norm

[NickG]

I think you are looking at the wrong button...The coroded Heer botton is 2 piece with flat back.
The KM on the other hand is actually a hollow backed (field uniform) button...as far as I can tell by looking at the images...s
o not guilded rope type...
I'm sure J-L will chime in to confirm this!

[Jean-Loup]

Sorry for the confusion guys, in the two photos, I inverted the position of the buttons. That is why I was very specific in post 2 : "The back, the KM button is now on the left, with a regular german button on the right."

The KM button is the one that is made of two pieces. The Heer button is a regular hollow one just put there to act as a scale.

The KM button does seem to have a bit of golen color left over in a few places (see large scale scan below). I am 99% sure it has no rope patern on the edges though; the patern didnt just wear down.

Unfortunately I havent found any other buttons in the same area yet, so no more to compare with for now...

JL

[NickG]

OK thanks for clearing that up...the repositioning threw me off...
So its indeed a non hollow KM buttom without rope details... Norm was right...
Well that's a new combination to me... That does not necessarily make it a worn gilded button...
Its just a makers variation of a KM field tunic button (wool or tropical) which otherwise are usually hollow.

[Norm F]

filed grey

Yes, that closeup really helps. I agree with Nick; doesn't look like a worn gilt button. It really does seem to be a field grey KM button, interestingly with a two-piece construction with convex back, not the concave back one usually sees on these buttons. That closeup shows the pebble texture background to the anchor visible best above the right side anchor tip, in contrast to the horizontal ribbed texture expected on a gilt button. It looks like grey peeling paint on a corroding metal base and has the smooth borders.
I'd bet this is from the KM "field grey" Feldbluse, early or even pre-war (although not sure why it would be in France if pre-war.)
It would be nice to see pictures of an original in good condition if anyone has one?
I'd bet KM-spain has some experience since he is expert in all things KM.
Best regards,
---Norm