1934 dated zeltbahn

[Spitfire1940]

Gentlemen,
I'm attaching some photos of my 1934 dated zeltbahn, just purchased in London. It is marked "Weber & Ott, Aktiengesellschaft, Forchheim (Bayern), 1934". A quick Google search shows that Weber & Ott AG, a textile and clothing company, are still in business, currently located at Konrad-Ott-Str. 1, 91301 Forchheim, Bayern. Forchheim is in Upper Frankonia, in Northern Bavaria. I would appreciate your thoughts on a couple of things: as you will see, most of the aluminum/zinc buttons have been replaced with dark brown hard plastic or bakelite buttons. Should I replace these with original zelt buttons? (they seem to be available on the web). Or could the plastic buttons be wartime or pre-war? (I have read that the Russians used bakelite or plastic buttons). Second, one of the photos shows the remains of what I presume is a regimental stamp. There's also a "2 K " near the maker stamp. Can anyone make out the details? I am assuming that 1934 dated zelts are quite early and somewhat scarcer than wartime dated ones?
Best wishes,
John

[zwerge]

The date looks like 1984 ?

[Gunny Hartmann]

The date looks like 1984 ?

It does kind of, but if you squint and shut one eye it's 1934!...

MP44.nl - German Uniforms and Equipment - Zeltbahn

[CBH]

The plastic buttons look West German , to me .

[Spitfire1940]

Hi Zwerge. That's just in the photo. It is absolutely 1934. The camo makes taking a clear photo very difficult. But in the flesh the black ink is a 3 not an 8. John

- - Updated - -

So do you think I should probably go ahead and replace the plastic buttons?

[CBH]

I'd look though more photo's first and see if the buttons match a pre-war examples , I wouldn't want you changing originals . They looked like post-war Boarder Guard buttons .

[MP44tom]

Hi

Very nice Zelt indeed.......

If you have original (aluminium) 3 hole Buttons you might consider replacing the plastic ones... IMHO the plastic ones are post war too, check if they are bakelite.... (tapping with your fingernails easily identifies bakelite from plastic)

Be carefull if you have to buy buttons, because most of the offered ones on ebay are Swiss Zelt buttons (they are thicker if you compare them to German alu buttons)

btw, the link that Gunny Hartman posted is to the old contents of the Zelt section of my site

This is the new one
MP44.nl - German Uniforms and Equipment - Zeltbahn 31

Tom
MP44.nl - Welcome to my Website

[Danmark]

Looks like most of the buttons have been replaced ....... scrap aluminium hunters - bah!!!!

[spandau]

Hey John,

You went and got it ! Nice early zelt date stamp.

cheers

Tony

[António Fragoeiro]

At first glance, it does look like 1984, lol

Cheers
Nuno