1936 dated tornister

[James C]

thank you jp for your help on this one crikey you do know your stuff ,i really am a novice on this german gear collecting im just glad the added parts are period items and not repros ,im intrigued by the leather belt hook loop any referance pictures i can view to see what it looked like please ,thanks dan again for your help thanks GM michael and alexander ,and timothy can i ask which armies used these post war ,that sounds really interesting know you mention it i saw a picture once of a west german border guard that looked to be wearing one ,am i on the right track ,cheers james

[timothy]

Yes I think so BGS, etc probably other Eurpoean armies I once had a dealer friend in Phoenix, AZ he was originally from Germany and would go back and buy BW, BGS surplus and bring it back to sell he once showed me his "supply room" and he had some WW2 packs dated in the 30's and 40's some had been modified with W German straps. etc he had some bread bags, mess kits, and canteens that was in the 80's and probably over a 3rd was WW2 he had bought back. This is off topic but he had some of the Fire police items also hats, tunics that had been post war used some you could still see the stitching where the 3rd reich arm eagles had been most of the caps had been rebanded and reworked with BW FD insignia. timothy

[JPhilip]

thank you jp for your help on this one crikey you do know your stuff ,i really am a novice on this german gear collecting im just glad the added parts are period items and not repros ,im intrigued by the leather belt hook loop any referance pictures i can view to see what it looked like please

Hello James,
Take a look to your other Tornister 34 and you'll see the leather belt hook loop i'm talking about (see photo below)...
James all i can say is always the same thing : Better quality that quantity, unless you can afford both (especially if you're a "novice" as you say). Stay as close as possible to "textbook" examples that will always remain collectible...
Thanks

[JPhilip]

Hi J Philiip, You appear to be a bit of a wiz kid on these back packs. If I display one or two of mine, will you give me a similar breakdown on whats what on them please? Like James, I too like them for what they are however, my knowledge is verging on the none existant. Cheers MR

Hello Michael,
I usually prefer to say that an item is untouched, perfect or beautiful...but only when it's true...
Of course you can display yours and i'll try to help
Thanks

[Michael Ryan]

Cheers JPhilip. Regards MR

[JPhilip]

In August 1995 while on holidays in the center of France i met around 150 german boyscouts who were marching while singing. I felt like passing by an Infanterie Kompanie and when i looked back behind me (i was riding a bicycle), they were all carrying a Tornister with fur....i waited for them to stop and started to talk with some of them. I had a look to six or seven Tornister and all of them were WWII...


In November 2004, one day around 5.30 Pm, i was at my window looking at the street in front of my house and i saw a group of french students walking down the street. when they turned i was able to see their backs for one second and one of them had a hairy back....TORNISTER....i ran down the street and finally found the guy at the bus stop...what i have seen there is one of the most saboted and mutilated Tornister i've ever seen in 35 years of collecting...and when i asked him about these "modifications", he told me, "i found it in my grandfather's cellar and it took me an hour to modifiy it as needed"...front straps were cut off just underneath both rivets as " i didn't need them to carry the bag", all leather loops removed, messkit pocket removed and a name tag removed...carrying straps and Tornister itself were marked to an Infanterie Regiment....i tried to trade it with him but he refused saying that it was his grandfathers, bla, bla...
Thanks