Latewar of postwar M31 Kochgeschirr?

[-Herbstnebel-]

Hi everyone! This one came in the mail today together with some other items. I thougt it would be the high M10 model, so I was surprised to see this black M31. It’s light and not very high quality production, with the late-war type ‘ears’ to hold the wire handle. It’s unmarked. I thought it might be late 1944/45 production, but than again it might be postwar as well. Opinions are appreciated!

Tim

[JPhilip]

It's postwar sorry

[-Herbstnebel-]

It's postwar sorry

Thanks! So ware these issued to the East/West-german army or polizei in the first postwar years?

[corporalSteiner]

It's postwar sorry

what are the pointers to this being post war-apart form the colour and lack of maker stamps perhaps....?

[JPhilip]

Thanks! So ware these issued to the East/West-german army or polizei in the first postwar years?

I'm sorry again, i don't know. Yours is the first one black painted that i have the opportunity to see. All the other ones i've seen in the past were painted dark green. I often see them for sale as unmarked genuine WWII examples, but they're not.

[JPhilip]

what are the pointers to this being post war-apart form the colour and lack of maker stamps perhaps....?

Usually the wire handle is slightly shorter, the handle is slightly wider, the edges of the lid are completly folded which is not the case for a late war messkit, the aluminium used is of better quality than prewar and wartime one and if our dutch friend is kind enough to post another photo showing the handle up, we'll see three ration marks on the body of the messkit, which is never the case for a late war messkit. I hope i fully answered your question. The colour and the absence of markings are not real pointers as it could have been repainted and there are many genuine WWII messkits that are unmarked.

[siton12]

Usually the wire handle is slightly shorter, the handle is slightly wider, the edges of the lid are completly folded which is not the case for a late war messkit, the aluminium used is of better quality than prewar and wartime one and if our dutch friend is kind enough to post another photo showing the handle up, we'll see three ration marks on the body of the messkit, which is never the case for a late war messkit. I hope i fully answered your question. The colour and the absence of markings are not real pointers as it could have been repainted and there are many genuine WWII messkits that are unmarked.

Who could ask for more infos whatsoever?I mean the guy-JPhilip- is he really something or he is something!Thank you JPh.

[-Herbstnebel-]

Usually the wire handle is slightly shorter, the handle is slightly wider, the edges of the lid are completly folded which is not the case for a late war messkit, the aluminium used is of better quality than prewar and wartime one and if our dutch friend is kind enough to post another photo showing the handle up, we'll see three ration marks on the body of the messkit, which is never the case for a late war messkit. I hope i fully answered your question. The colour and the absence of markings are not real pointers as it could have been repainted and there are many genuine WWII messkits that are unmarked.

Thank you for your helpful, instructive information JPhilip! I can take a another picture in daylight tomorrow. The only thing is.. There are no content/rationmarks present at all on this example

[corporalSteiner]

Usually the wire handle is slightly shorter, the handle is slightly wider, the edges of the lid are completly folded which is not the case for a late war messkit, the aluminium used is of better quality than prewar and wartime one and if our dutch friend is kind enough to post another photo showing the handle up, we'll see three ration marks on the body of the messkit, which is never the case for a late war messkit. I hope i fully answered your question. The colour and the absence of markings are not real pointers as it could have been repainted and there are many genuine WWII messkits that are unmarked.

again, great. it could be that you post two messkits, an original late and a early post...?im sure some of these guys would love it!

[JPhilip]

Thank you for your helpful, instructive information JPhilip! I can take a another picture in daylight tomorrow. The only thing is.. There are no content/rationmarks present at all on this example

That's always the same story....
I said "usually" concerning all these features. You can sometimes find those messkits with a wire handle of the same length than a wartime one, but it doesn't make them wartime, some don't have the ration marks but again it doesn't make them wartime (don't ask me why some do have the marks and some don't)....but the edges completly folded and the handle wider than any handle used for prewar or wartime messkits should be enough here.
Still postwar for me....

[CWP]

I agree that the mess kit above is postwar. Not sure if these were issued to a military or civil organization or made for civilian hiking/camping use.

[-Herbstnebel-]

Thanks everyone!