MN 44 & captured Italian Mess Kit from german Pow

[von Eichenkarpfen]

Hi guys new items for me. Can somenoen say me a worth? Grüße von Eichekarpfen

[JPhilip]

Hello,
nice items congrats....as usual the messkit is mismatched, only the lid is from 1944, the messkit itself is rather pre or early war...
The italian is also great, well engraved....but considering that it's painted, IMO it's not a captured canteen, but rather an italian canteen reissued to the german army, which was a common thing after september 1943
Thanks

[von Eichenkarpfen]

Thanks Philip, how can I recognize that's the Messkit is from different kits? Best greetings

[JPhilip]

Hello,
Considering the paint on the body of the messkit, it's wartime (and not prewar as mentioned before), but MN44 and MN45 messkits do have the simplified steel bale to hold the wire handle and not the big aluminium one seen on your messkit. This said, some manufacturers still used the aluminium bale well after the other manufacturers replaced it with the steel one. If your messkit has the three ration marks for soup on the front, it's an early type, if not, it's a late war example from another manufacturer than MN.
Thanks


If you want some info on WWII german messkits, have look there, it could be helpful : YouTube

[von Eichenkarpfen]

Thank you very much