IMPERIAL GERMAN BELT BUCKLE LOT M1847 M1895 M1915

WW1 Imperial German Belt Buckle lot to include 1) M1847 PRUSSIAN EM/NCO'S BELT BUCKLE. An early, pre-1895 pattern, two-piece brass construction Prussian belt buckle. The 52mm, slightly convex, stamped metal box buckle, features, against its plain, obverse field, a crown to its domed center, encompassed by a dual rope-like border within which, against a ribbed background, is "Gott Mit Uns" (God [is] With Us), and a spray of laurels. To the reverse is its raised buckle catch, and a metal prong bar with dual prongs, for the belt’s retaining tongue. Unmarked. First introduced in 1847, the design of the buckle remained virtually unchanged until 1918. After January of 1915, these buckles, which were also used by the Prussian-dominated states of Baden, Oldenburg, Hansa and Thuringia, were made of zinc-plated sheet iron. Originally the box buckles came in a 50mm, (roughly 2 inches), width until 1895 when the width was reduced to 45mm, (roughly 1 3/4 inches), in an attempt to lighten the weight load of the field gear. Initially the buckles were produced of brass with a nickel/silver face plate until 1914 when steel construction buckles were introduced. 2) PRUSSIAN OFFICER'S BROCADE BELT BUCKLE. Nice untouched 50mm diameter, two piece, gilt washed, brass, Prussian officer’s buckle. The buckle features a highly embossed oak-leaf wreath encompassing a central "W" monogram cipher with a crown. Military belts and their corresponding buckles date back centuries and were initially designed for attaching swords and daggers. In 1847 a new innovative box buckle with a quick release catch and corresponding belt were introduced which resulted in a Prussian, Hauptmann Virschow, initiating a new method of carrying personal equipment with the belt and shoulder straps supporting the majority of the weight. This system, with modifications, remains in use in most of the armies in the world to this day. Officers ranks were responsible for purchasing their own uniforms including belts and as a result were allotted a clothing allowance through the army’s Kleiderkasse, (Clothing Account), system. The Officers could choose to purchase their uniforms items from the armed forces clothing depots or to privately purchase items of higher quality. 3) M1895 PRUSSIAN EM/NCO'S BELT BUCKLE. 1895 pattern, two-piece brass and nickel/silver construction Prussian belt buckle. The 45mm, slightly convex, stamped metal box buckle, features, against its plain, obverse field, a crown to its domed center, encompassed by a dual rope-like border within which, against a ribbed background, is "Gott Mit Uns" (God [is] With Us), and a spray of laurels. To the reverse is its raised buckle catch, and a metal prong bar with dual prongs, for the belt’s retaining tongue. 4) REICHSWEHR EM/NCO'S BELT BUCKLE. A 43mm, die stamped, single piece, nickel construction, box buckle features a pebbled outer field with a high relief, embossed, Weimar style, national eagle with down-swept wings, to the slightly domed, smooth finished, center, encompassed by a laurel leaf cluster to the bottom and script, "Gott Mit Uns", (God With Us), to the top. The laurel leaf cluster and script are on a ribbed background and are encircled by both an inner and outer simulated twisted rope border. The reverse of the buckle is complete with both a soldered catch and prong bar and prongs all intact. Military belts and their corresponding buckles date back centuries and were initially designed for attaching swords and daggers. In 1847 a new innovative box buckle with a quick release catch and corresponding belt were introduced which resulted in a Prussian, Hauptmann Virschow, initiating a new method of carrying personal equipment with the belt and shoulder straps supporting the majority of the weight. This system, with modifications, remains in use in most of the armies in the world to this day. The Weimar era, (circa 1919-1933), Reichswehr, (National Defence {Force}), belt buckle was introduced in May 1919, for wear by EM/NCO personnel serving in both the Reichsheer, (National Army), and the Reichsmarine, (National Navy), with a different colored finish for each branch of service. Although introduced in May 1919 the belt buckle wasn’t widely distributed until 1921. The buckle retained the same basic design as the Imperial German belt buckle but replaced the Imperial crown with the newly introduced national eagle. The Reichswehr era belt buckles were most commonly manufactured in solid nickel/silver although steel buckles were also produced. Of Note: On January 24TH 1936 a new pattern EM/NCO’s belt buckle was officially introduced to replace the Reichswehr belt buckles although both were worn concurrently for a short period of time. The new pattern belt buckles retained the basic design of the Reichsheer belt buckles with the addition of the new Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), style national eagle. 5) M1895 PRUSSIAN EM/NCO'S BELT BUCKLE. 1895 pattern, two-piece brass and nickel/silver construction Prussian belt buckle. The 45mm, slightly convex, stamped metal box buckle, features, against its plain, obverse field, a crown to its domed center, encompassed by a dual rope-like border within which, against a ribbed background, is "Gott Mit Uns" (God [is] With Us), and a spray of laurels. To the reverse is its raised buckle catch, and a metal prong bar with dual prongs, for the belt’s retaining tongue.