VINTAGE PRE WW1 GERMAN ARMY ENLISTED & NCO’S UNIFORM BELT BUCKLE M1895

Offered is an original pre WW1 German Army belt buckle. M1895 pattern, two-piece brass and nickel/silver construction, 62mm x 46mm face, slightly convex, stamped metal box buckle, features, against its plain, obverse field, a crown to its domed centre, encompassed by a dual rope-like border within which, against a ribbed background, is “Gott Mit Uns” (God [is] With Us), and a spray of laurels. To the reverse is its raised buckle catch, and a metal prong bar with dual prongs, for the belt’s retaining tongue. Generally very good overall. First introduced in 1847, the design of the buckle remained virtually unchanged until 1918. After January of 1915, these buckles, which were also used by the Prussian-dominated states of Baden, Oldenburg, Hansa and Thuringia, were made of zinc-plated sheet iron. Originally the box buckles came in a 50mm, (roughly 2 inches), width until 1895 when the width was reduced to 45mm, (roughly 1 3/4 inches), in an attempt to lighten the weight load of the field gear. Initially the buckles were produced of brass with a nickel/silver face plate until 1914 when steel construction buckles were introduced.