MKL 44 date mess kit

[Mike Steves]

Don't know why these mess kits are so much fun to collect. Here's a nice MKL44 kit I just picked up. MKL is I.G. Farben manufactured. Note the circle on the front of the bale- you sometimes see the same circle on MN45 dated kit handles that are unmarked.

[CWP]

Very nice example, hard to find like that.

[Willi Z.]

Yes, very hard to find. Very nice example!

[Paul R.]

What a nice messkit looks un used. Nice crisp date and in great condition. Paul

[corporalSteiner]

superb messtin and thanks for the lesson on code maker origins in this case.

[DennyB]

Mike, do you remember that box of 50 German messkits that I bought for $1.95 each from an ad in Shotgun News back in the late 80's? All were 43 & 44 dates with the brown paper inbetween them, all unissued and mint. I tried to sell them for $10 each and no one wanted them. I know Ed Stroh and Mark Jones each bought one.
I ended up selling the remaining 30 or so to Col. Bubbie at Strand Surplus Senter in Galveston for $5 each.

[Theoderich]

Hello all,

and again, the capital letter codes are not the same as the lowercase codes, "MKL" is not "mkl". IG Farben was a huge chemical factory! There is a book for lowercase codes, but no for capital letters!

best regards
Dirk

[Mike Steves]

Hello all,

and again, the capital letter codes are not the same as the lowercase codes, "MKL" is not "mkl". IG Farben was a huge chemical factory! There is a book for lowercase codes, but no for capital letters!

best regards
Dirk

Interesting, I never thought of that! Then MKL could be the makers company initials. I know IG Farben was a chemical company, but just the same Steyr made bicycles, trucks, ball bearings, rifles, leather holsters, etc. If IG Farben made containers for chemicals they manufactured, it's possible to make simple mess tins. I'm not trying to say this kit was made by IG Farben, just a point.

Denny, I remember those days. I bought a few new HRE44 mess kits before. I thought they were repros and sold them, what a mistake!

[Theoderich]

MKL isn`s/wasn`t IG Farben, for sure!
A few of these capital codes are known, HRE is Heinrich Ritter Esslingen, ESB is Ed. Sommerfeld Berlin and some others. I research for years now, and i found some unknown ones, but i believe (or better hope) someday someone will find a list...

[Mike Steves]

MKL isn`s/wasn`t IG Farben, for sure!
A few of these capital codes are known, HRE is Heinrich Ritter Esslingen, ESB is Ed. Sommerfeld Berlin and some others. I research for years now, and i found some unknown ones, but i believe (or better hope) someday someone will find a list...

Great information Theodore! Interesting pattern- perhaps MKL is for Max Kämper Lüdensheid (meh three letter code), that is if the pattern holds up. Also, HRE had a 3 letter code (cba) but didn't use it on products.

[Theoderich]

I only 3 makers with lowercase codes
- kvu (Rudolf Fissler, auch RFI)
- ccj (F.W. Bröckelmann, Aluminiumwerk GmbH KG, Neheim/Ruhr= FWBN)
and
- hkp (Sächsische Emaillierwerke/Lauter), this is a mk from my collection, never saw this this before!

[dolchmann07]

I only 3 makers with lowercase codes
- kvu (Rudolf Fissler, auch RFI)
- ccj (F.W. Bröckelmann, Aluminiumwerk GmbH KG, Neheim/Ruhr= FWBN)
and
- hkp (Sächsische Emaillierwerke/Lauter), this is a mk from my collection, never saw this this before!

This is the man who should be listened too.
Jack

[Glenn Barbaritz]

thats a great tin. love it. Glenn