Italian mess kits

[CWP]

Is there a way to date Italian mess kits, as none of them were marked? Were post-war versions exactly the same as wartime?

On the left is a known original pre-1945 example. On the right, a brand new unissued one I got recently, still wrapped in tissue. Is the unissued one wartime or post-war? Is there any way to know? Thanks for any help with this.

[CWP]

More

[CWP]

Known pre-1945 example at top, example of unknown age at bottom. I detected some slight differences. I suspect the unissued one is post-war but is there any way to be sure? Any help would be appreciated.

[Semovente]

CWP...no doubt a certain amount of war time mess tins saw service into the post war era...but all the later ones i've seen dont have the strap loops on the lid & base that you find on WW2 examples...instead they have a single stud on the lid only..nothing else..but look otherwise like war time mess tins ...probably 60s onwards in date??...your mint one could well be a stores find ??..these things do surface sometimes from some dusty old back room!?.....Semovente

[Erik]

I ave owned a few wartime examples used by the Germans. All identical in construction to both the ones you show. I have never seen a marked one. As I understand the Germans painted the kits green when the took them in their inventory as they were supposed to be attached to the breadbag. The Italians carried the item inside their pack hence no need for painting the aluminium. So I only go for the green ones as to be 100% sure they are wartime.

Erik

[Paolo Marzetti]

Both the mess kits shown are M.32. The one with traces of paint issued to the
Germans or also to the Italian RSI units, but for the most part there was no paint
and it is unpossible to state if they're WWII or post WWII in fact they were widely
used by the EI till the 60's together with a similar model for sure produced after WWII.
No markings. PaoloM

[Ironcrown]

I fully agree