Early supporters full face swastika buckles

[David North]

Reverse.

Does anyone recognise the disc method of securing the rivets ?

[lach470]

Well, that is a first for me......questinable indeed. The construction looks period but the way the swastika is affixed makes me think it was a homemade job (regarding the swas).
Interesting for sure! If only we could get these things to talk!

Cheers!

Rob

[David North]

Hello Rob

Indeed "home made" or rather perhaps "cottage industry".

These are interestingly difficult and almost impossible buckles to clearly or readily define and perhaps, we have to rely on our collectors instinct.

Pre 1945 or post 1945 - that is the question !

Here is another odd one, although having said that, clearly a buckle which is home bench made.

Regards,

David

[David North]

Reverse

[Buckle1]

David,

Did you get that rivited buckle from Marc V.? If so it was originally mine. I bought it some years ago for a very low price and when I actually had it in hand I was never in doubt that it was a good buckle. The quality of workmanship was excellent. I agree most likely a cottage production piece but genuine period buckle.

congrats on that buckle and the other ones you have. VERY HARD buckles to find.

Regards,

Bill

[David North]

Hello Bill

An unexpected, albeit most welcome response.

The buckle (with others) was indeed bought from Marc at I must say, a reasonable price commensurate to the uncertainty and confusion of these dangerously difficult early supporters buckles.

I certainly like it and so does one advanced collector/researcher who I have asked for a second opinion, albeit post purchase.

Thankyou for the uplifting words of support on this quite peculiar and still (in my opinion at least) important and very early "cottage industry" manufactured buckle.

Regards,

David

[Ben Evans]

David, just food for thought, one of your buckles is stamped 1/33, with ref to the SS picture thread I have done do you think that it is possible that these buckles were used as early standard bearer buckles? Reading through SS unit tables I think the number "1" refers to Munchen, so with that in mind do you think that this theory is possible?

[David North]

Hello Ben

On a purely personal note, I am jolly pleased that this thread has been revived as this buckle is and in my opinion phenomenally important as almost, the starting point for all of us interested in NSDAP and Third Reich.

I have attached some new images.

The Catella publication makes reference to the buckle being the first SS, although also, that there is an association with the former members of Freikorp Rossbach and Brigade Ehrhardt. Unfortunately, no suggested time frame.

The Bandau publication however makes reference to SA/SS from 1925 to around 1930 and I think that the date of 1930 is very important. In addition, Bandau suggests that the buckle was produced by Deumer (I assume as at least one producer) and of course, this correlates with the stampings on the buckle that I have shown.

To be quite honest, I think that the buckle is an attempt at a serious NSDAP buckle, rather than just being supporter related and as such, not exclusively for the use of the embryonic SS.

I have seen only a few original examples of this buckle and one, also displays an enigmatic set of stampings to an outer wing. Quite impossible to encipher what they mean and this is most infuriating. It is perhaps reasonable however to suppose that the buckle may have been issued rather than owned (as per some Imperial) and as such, mine shown is buckle number 33 from a group or unit which has the designation of "1". Goodness knows who 1 was !

To be honest Ben, I think that there is no association whatsoever with the buckle being standard bearer associated, although - I wish !

Regards,

David

[David North]

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[David North]

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