|
Steel buckles of the kind shown below were
first introduced in 1931and were common place on transitional model
helmets as well as the first production M1935 models. The bare
metal often deteriorated with age and exposure to the elements.
Interestingly, this very buckle has been reproduced in Eastern Europe to
exact details (as a counterfeit) and is used on chinstraps sold as
"original." Most originals of this kind are dismissed as
reproductions simply because collectors are unaware of the history of
this buckle type. In effect, it is an original save for the fact
that it is now reproduced as a high quality fake. Collectors
should be careful when purchasing chinstraps with this type of buckle.
The people responsible for reproducing this king often chemically age
both the steel and the leather to produce an effect similar to what is
shown on the original below. This buckle was produced in 1935
by the firm of Otto Sindler of Berlin. |
