Imitation as the sincerest form of flattery (SA buckles)

[David North]

There is the well known idiom of imitation being the sincerest form of flattery.

The first image is of what I am sure is a very "early" SA, however I for one still do not know what year the SA buckle was first manufactured and worn. It is however an interesting buckle by many respects and which are I think self evident.

It is almost as if the other buckles shown here took inspiration and imitated it, with however their own modifications and refinements !

Regards,

David

[David North]

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[David North]

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[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi David, who was the designer of the buckle? Is this known?

I know Hitler had a hand in the design of the SS buckle.

Cheers, Ade.

[David North]

Hello Ade

A good question and I do not know.

Already lurking somewhere else within the form, are a few subjective, personal and non substantiated comments about the SA buckles design and perhaps, worthy of a modified reiteration.

It is interesting to note that for such a commonly encountered, well known and relatively low value buckle, the SA remains something of an enigma. In fact the SA buckle has for many years been regarded as falling within the lower end of the collecting desirability spectrum and whilst all the while, harbouring many potentially interesting and yet to be discovered secrets.

When I say SA buckle, I am referring to the box type and which displays either a separately affixed or integral roundel.

In my opinion, no one knows when the first SA buckle was worn or when it ceased to be worn. It is obvious though to most collectors and devotees of the RZM that on occasions, the SA buckle displays a RZM related mark or logo and as such, this presence provides a tantalisingly glimpse of a small time frame for a later period of manufacture and wear.

Consider that in the 1920's, many German companies of differing sizes were struggling to survive and to include those concerns manufacturing belt buckles etc. This turbulent decade provided a new opportunity for these companies who were quite happy to manufacture side by side, right wing and left wing buckles. In addition, there were companies who manufactured the buckle complete and those, working as a "cottage" and "assembly" industry. These companies would die stamp or buy in the various design roundels and on numerous occasions, cannibalise and convert a once Imperial buckle. We see on many occasions an SA buckle which has the "shadow" of a former roundel present and of course, messy soldering, Imperial pin shrouds/claws etc.

The SA buckle design was heavily commercially driven and in my opinion, there is no other reason for our seeing so many hundreds of different roundel designs which were there, simply to attract the SA member - to buy.

To my knowledge, there is no documented evidence to prove that the nickle or chrome on brass SA buckle was the prerogative of the NSKK or indeed any other organisation. Instead, it was all again commercially motivated. If an SA member had a uniform with brass buttons etc., then it would be natural for him to choose a brass buckle. Conversely, if an SA member wore a uniform with nickle silver buttons etc., then a white metal buckle would be the obvious and in simpatico choice.

In my opinion, there is no significance whatsoever as to the style of swastika and the "mobile", "sun-wheel" and "upright" were all worn simultaneously. Again, the multitude of eagle, swastika and wreath designs (ranging from elegant and stylistic to crude and amateur) are in my opinion, present solely as the result of a commercial decision by whoever the manufacturer was. That is "...how can I persuade this massive and potentially commercially lucrative army of SA members to buy my buckles, rather than those from my many competitors?...".

Regards,

David

[aechols83]

Bumping this interesting thread started by David with this new early "imitation" SA of mine, the roundel of which has been associated with Overhoff.

Best,
Adam