Imperial German WW1 Enlisted Mans Boots.

[AndyM35]

Thanks Harry. There are noticeable differences.

[spandau]

Hi, the late war versions did have pull straps that were made from paper cloth of all things to save on leather but agree that these may well be later than ww1. The wooden peg construction on the instep certainly makes them German manufacture IMO. hard to say exactly when though. Acceptance stamps on the inside of the boots would be the clincher for me as then at least you have an idea on dates. Hope that helps a little ?

cheers

Tony

[HARRY THE MOLE]

The seams are not correct for WW1 boots in the original posting. And towards the end of the war almost anything available was being used to manufacture 'ersatz' items of uniform - hence the use of paper to replace leather. And this is also one of the reasons why it is not uncommon to find German helmets with paint in pitted surfaces - often quoted amongst collectors as proof a fakery at work! Nothing was wasted, nothing was left to rot on the battlefields. Everything was pressed back into service if it was at all useable.

[angus1235]

I'd wager by the shape of the shafts, hobnails and toeplates that they aren't German, possibly from another axis nation, or even pre-soviet russian (i have some old russian boots that look very similar but without hobnails or pull-tabs, and the heel irons are virtually identical to German ones)