4 Aluminum and 1 Steel 2-Piece Heer Buckles: Opinions?

**aechols83** · 08-20-2010, 01:13 AM

Hi, all. I was just shown this grouping of 4 aluminum and 1 steel-based Heer buckles, all 2-piece construction. They're available to me individually and at the same price of $65, so I was wondering if anyone had opinions about them, specifically if any are more uncommon for any reason and also makers of the unmarked examples. All are unmarked except for the one marked for OLC and I believe one of the 2-piece aluminums is also by Assmann although confirmation would be great.

Thanks for the help and any thoughts on these buckles!
Best,
Adam

In this posting:
Buckle #1 - Unmarked (Assmann?)
&
Buckle #2 - OLC marked

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 08-20-2010 01:13 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**aechols83** · 08-20-2010, 01:15 AM

Buckle #3 - Steel-based

**aechols83** · 08-20-2010, 01:16 AM

Buckle #4

**aechols83** · 08-20-2010, 01:18 AM

Buckle #5

**David North** · 08-20-2010, 07:01 AM

Adam

You know that Wehrmacht-Heer is not within my collecting field. As a very quick and perhaps shooting from the hip response however, I personally have no issue with the aluminium buckles, although I suggest that advice from one of the boys who specialise in Army, is needed in relation to the steel example that you have shown.

Regards,

David

**aechols83** · 08-20-2010, 02:20 PM

Thanks, David. Even though not your specialty, your "shooting from the hip" response is, of course, greatly respected and appreciated.
I believe all the buckles to be original, but the steel example does appear to me to be in somewhat minty condition if that's perhaps what piqued your suspicion...
Hopefully Ben or another Heer collector will be able to chime-in on these.

Thanks again

Adam

**Ben Evans** · 08-21-2010, 07:48 AM

Adam, all nice buckles and all different variants, it also nice to see a couple of maker marked two piece buckles, they did not tend to put maker marks on these for some reason, maybe because alot were private purchase? Or they did not tend to mark their parade buckles?

**aechols83** · 08-21-2010, 05:09 PM

Thanks for the reply, Ben. Interesting...so probably the Overhoff marked example is a good pick-up since these sound a little scarcer. I wonder why they more of these parade buckles weren't marked...
You mentioned a couple marked buckles. I haven't seen these in person but looking at these photos again is there a maker marking on the top of the reverse of #4? Is this the other you were referring to? Was I correct about the Assmann buckle?

Thanks for the help!
Best,
Adam

**Kurt D** · 08-21-2010, 05:41 PM

All,

Is the steel version with four-tab roundel common on army buckles? Is the roundel steel as well as the box?

If original, this would be a first for me for this construction method and material for the TR period.

As to why private-purchase military buckles are mostly unmarked, whereas the vast majority of service buckles are, I can only speculate this is because the private-purchase version was not regulated (it says so explicitly in the introductory order of Jan 1936 in the Heeres-Verordnungsblatt). In contrast, the service buckles had to conform to detailed technical specifications. Requiring suppliers to the military to mark the buckles would have been an effective quality control mechanism as it would be easy to track inferior pieces to the manufacturer.

Best regards
Karl

**Ben Evans** · 08-21-2010, 05:52 PM

Adam/Karl, if my memory serves me right I believe buckle 1, 3 & 4 are all in the Assmann Catalogue I will send am email to my good friend in Germany and double check