Reichswehr Buckles with Unit Markings & More on Tab

[AlecH]

Bought this Reichswehr Buckle today, on the leather tab is the mm stamp -Schmole & Comp. 1927 - Unit Stamp JR 3 = Infantry Regiment 3, lower down the leather tab, stamped are the initials - H.D.A.K. 1927 II.B. do members know what these initials may be ? I notice most Reichswehr Buckles have a pebble effect, this one not, is this peculiar to this maker ? Regards.

[Ben Evans]

Nice buckle Alec, not sure about the marking but I will have a look for you, I like the fact that the hook is made by Schmole & Comp and also dated 1937, nice touch

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I need to get my eyes checked the hook is 1937 lol only 10 years out

[AlecH]

Ben, thanks for your post, I've had no luck at the moment decoding the markings, dare say over time to answer will come out. One thing that does intrigue me though, is the lack of pebbling on the front, looking through the Reichswehr buckles shown on the forum, roughly 80%-90% have a pebbled effect - I know if nothing else the German Military at that time were efficient - any ideas, how this variant came to be accepted.
Regards

[Kurt D]

AlecH

What you have is the 1925 pattern buckle, made of steel and painted field grey. This is a regulation item. Pebbled buckles made of nickle silver were allowed to be privately purchased for the walking-out dress in 1927. In 1928, the dull pebbled nickle silver buckle for service dress was introduced, replacing the earlier steel pattern.

Kind regards
Kurt

[AlecH]

Hello Kurt,
Thanks for all the information, didn't know the Reichswehr Buckles had so much history behind them - one (nickle silver) has just been sold on a German Military site Militaria Fund forum, went for 50 Euro. It would seem interest maybe picking up in these pieces. Again thanks for the help.
Regards

[Ben Evans]

Alec, 50 Euros is peanuts, cheap as chips

[Buckle1]

Alec, et al,

I currently have three of these buckles all w/out tabs but all painterd different colors, OD; black and gray. As to their origin, A similar buckle sold on German ebay w/tab that was maker marked and w/the naval large "M" and anchor. It went for an incredible amount of $$. With that said, these may have been early Reichscheer buckles issued in !925 but I suspect that they may have, due to the early release date, been issued to all branches of the military including the Reichsnmarine before they went to the all brass one piece buckle. Also for some reason , maybe because it was an early buckle the placement of the catch is totally different from both the Reichsmarine as well as the Reichscheer buckles. Another possiblity is these were the fore runner of the Coastal Artillery buckles?? Just my thoughts.

Bill

[AlecH]

Bill,
Thanks for the post - packed with information. I admit, in parts I didn't follow the drift - " for some reason , maybe because it was an early buckle the placement of the catch is totally different from both the Reichsmarine as well as the Reichscheer buckles. Another possibility is these were the fore runner of the Coastal Artillery buckles" - the point the about the catch (although the position seems right) the catch is reversed I understand, whether this is a manufacturing mistake or a correct design feature I don't know up till now been unable to find another pebble free, one piece Reichswehr Buckle from Schmole & Comp. However I think, due to the markings on the tab - JR 3 = Infantry Regiment 3 puts the buckle firmly in the orbit of the Reichsheer, don't follow the connection to Coastal Artillery or did they also have this catch configuration ? Again thanks for the additional information