Early Nickle Silver SS buckle

[RH1941]

Guys great thread I like when have to use my brain.

[RH1941]

Guido I was loking at that both buckels have it. You can see it in post # 11. Gary

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Hello All,

Those buckles are perfectly original. I still do not know who is the maker behind those buckles but I named years ago this serie "the cracked wing" due to its defect visible on the right wing. Readers can all see the hairline crack located on the top of the right wing and also going under the eagle's beak. Both buckles participants used for comparison were made using the exact same dies. It is obvious since both buckles are displaying the same die defect (hairline crack). Visible differences could be credited to wear, angle photos were taken, different metal which could have been used, etc...but they were made with the exact same dies.
Prongs post and post sleeve are also perfectly original and recorded to belong to this serie.
FYI there is three main variants of this buckle: this one with the "cracked wing" (the most common), one without any defect/hairline crack (much scarcer) and one marked Ges.Gesch.(very rare).
Those buckles are also found with at least two finish: solid neusilber (nickel silver) or plated.

You could thank David for having drag my attention to this thread.

[NortonI]

Hello - just want to thank Guido, David and Jean Pierre for the interesting thread - much appreciated !

[David North]

Jean-Pierre

I just wanted to echo Thomas's thanks in connection with your most illuminating and definitive identification and description of the so called "cracked wing SS" buckle.

Guido spotted the "crack", although I think that it would have taken Gary and I a little longer !

Greatly appreciated.

Regards,

David

[debbi082009]

Just another question to the specialists: missing RZM-Mark ???

[David North]

I can only answer as most definitely a non specialist.

Assume that the buckle pre dates the period from when RZM marks appeared on SS buckles, hence the absence.

Regards,

David

[Jean Pierre Redeuilh]

Just another question to the specialists: missing RZM-Mark ???

As David said: indicating that most likely the buckles were produced between 1931 and 1934.

[Guido]

Thanks again David, Gary, Thomas for you replies.

Jean-Pierre, I read your meaningful statements about this variant already in another forum - very interesting!

But plated nickel silver SS buckles are really new to me! I thought allways this dull colourless paint was the only finish on these buckles.

I think in my case it must be a plated example. This explains at least the odd shininess of the buckle, as it was obviously never cleaned. The shiny appearance together with these incredible sharp claws was for certain the reason that the buckle was sold as a copy.

BTW, I used a little trick to photograph the buckle at my second try: If you will ever take pictures from a very shiny buckle, put in in a freezer for a few minutes and you will get a dull buckle after removing it. But hurry up, the effect remains only a few minutes.

Regards,
Guido

[Walkwolf]

Good score, Guido.............!


Great detective work on this buckle, everyone.

As you probe deeper into the detail, the more alike they both
become - no question - even to my untrained eye.
The die flaw 'crack' and the sharp claws are something
I will keep in mind when looking for them now.

Interesting photography tip as well !