Fake RAD/FAD Buckles

[Ben Evans]

Then the dealer needs new glasses lol

[Dagon]

Yes... The M4/24 maker mark does indicate the maker as Friedrich Linden, Ludenscheid..However...My studying says that that particular buckle should have (3) three circles. One above of two, with the F in the top circle and the bottom two with L L and the last two date digits opposite or to the right like other examples or some makers have done...Thanks Ben...This forum has already saved me a bunch of $$ well worth the membership cost... Thing is, he is a dealer in the U.K.... He "Claims" the person he bought it from was or had extensive knowledge and is 100 % original....M

[Wilhelm Saris]

Hey Dagon,

Another hint for that dealer from the official handbook from the RAD, known as the "Bekleidungsvorschrift für den Reichsarbeitsdienst (männlich/for men)" from January
16, 1939. Section 23 "Bekleidung und Ausrüstung" (Form und Ausführung/pattern and looks), page 352-353 says with number 57: Koppelschloss für Arbeitsmänner
und Unterführer (men and NCO's):
The manufacturer has to stamp upon the smooth inner of the backing the company-marking and the both last numbers for the year of manufacturing.

In fact this is a repeating from the order from the "Verordnungsblatt der Reichsleitung des Arbeitsdienstes", nr. 20 from March 2, 1936. With addendum 15d from the
"Bekleidungsvorschrift für den Reichsarbeitsdienst" the description is given for the enlisted ranks buckle (the order is from February 25, 1936) where the same was
said. This order included the leather tab to be stamped suchlike: company-marking and the last two numbers for the year of production.

[Dagon]

Wilhelm... Yes I stated to him (the dealer) that although m4/24 was indeed Friedrich Linden. Ludenscheid as he had stated... The buckle should have three circles... One above two... the top circle having F in it
the lower two having L L in them.. The oppisite side should bear the last two digits of the year of manufacture... I did not mention anything about the stamping of the leather tab... i sent a message as to tell him not to list it as authentic.....Thanks Wilhelm...You are a wealth of information....So what is your main or at least most interested style of collecting ?? If I may ask....M

[Dagon]

I mean I am not an expert by a long shot "Yet", hell I may never be..
But with the economy everywhere sort of sluggish... Money can be tight..
And to go to a website that proclaims items to be 100 % authentic might
lead to a very bad "Buy" for someone... I'm just glad that at the "forum" here at least we have some "Real"
expertise and some members guarding our back...M

[Wilhelm Saris]

Thanks, hope it helps, but we all know people can be obstinate. Still too much collectors do
believe dealers or sellers stories. The information I gave was for the so-called "Behördenausführung",
the version as to be worn with the service-dress and supplied by the stocks from a unit, which were supplied
by an RAD-Bekleidungsamt.

In the May 15, 1939 sale-cataloque from Friedrich Linden on page 6b this buckle is described and offered as:
für Dienstkoppel aus einem Stück (altsilber vergütet - so darkened and hardened) with article-number 5567.
This version is not shown in their cataloque, but the version for the walking-out dress, the buckle one could purchase
on own costs, was shown with number 5704 and is known as the version für Extakoppel, made from aluminum or
light-weight metals (Leichtmetall, hell vergütet or Aluminium hell unvergütet). This is the buckle that has
the inset, positioned with the four prongs. Such a buckle hardly ever is being marked! Linden did not offer any FAD-buckle
in their cataloque from about 1935.

I do not collect Third Reich-items at all since many years (about the mid 1980's). I do collect Asian chopsticks and accessoiries,
have a number of Japanese military sake-cups and bottles and also female Japanese kimono (so for women and girls). The oldest
being from about 1890. The last collection (about 60-65 pieces and about 80-90 pieces of accessoiries) I will break up partly and
will sell as my house gets to crowded (when I will start selling I do not know, as I do not have the time for that myself and I do
not care further for getting the money. Possibly my oldest daughter will take the selling in hand).

[Dagon]

Well "The Dealer" at least responded to me stating he was going to look into it and has since removed it from his website... He also replied he would let me know what he finds out....M

[weller]

Fake steel RAD buckles, note the different belt catches.

[Ben Evans]

Fake steel RAD buckle

[Wewelsburg]

Fake Gustav Brehmer RAD (This one fooled me)