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An very nice example of a German WW1 M 1915/17 Mess Tin/Cooking Pot dated 1918. To save aluminium a new steel sheet Mess Tin was introduced in 1915. It stood about 19.5 cm tall overall and was 16cm wide. This example dates from 1918 and the date "18" appears on both the hinge of the lid and the body of the Pot along with the Maker's name Wupperman. Both lid and body are a perfectly matched pair with the the field grey enamel identical in shade and condition on both pieces. This a rather rare as under wartime conditions the tops and bottoms were often mismatched. The soldier, H Hansen, has scratched his name into the enamel. Overall condition is good condition with some loss to the enamel and with denting evident at the bottom edge.
Code: 54419
130.00 GBP
A very good pair of WW1 German M1911 Wirecutters with their corresponding Depot made field Belt Hanging Bracket. Whilst the Wirecutters occasionally turn up, the field Belt Hanging Bracket for these is exceptionally rare and indeed this is the first I have encountered. They were made in the field at Depot level primarily for the use of Assault Troops. Numerous period photographs testify to their extensive use by Stormtroopers and both the Wirecutters and Bracket are well described in the late Michael Baldwin's excellent series of Feldzug books. Overall condition is very good with the Wirecutters functioning well and with the bracket retaining approximately 90% of its original Field Grey paint. A very rare pair, ideal for the Stormtrooper display.
Code: 54418
250.00 GBP
A good early war German Belt and Pouches set in perfectly matched condition. Most desirably, all the components of the set match each other perfectly for colour, condition and wear. Each of the leather components are of an identical dark brown colour and they have exactly the same age patina. This is really a rather difficult thing to achieve as period leather is infamously hard to match up well. The Belt is complete and strong with no issues. The markings to the Belt have worn away however it can date to no later than 1915 as it has a securing clip in brass. During 1915 these clips were changed to steel in keeping with all the brass to steel transitions made by the German Army manufacturing industry during that year. The Belt has a corresponding brass and nickel Prussian buckle, and again these were transitioned to steel manufacture during 1915. The Pouches are a good matched pair with steel fittings. One is dated 1916 and the other 1915. The 1915 Pouch is interesting as it demonstrates well the brass to steel transition of 1915 as two of the three closing studs remain in brass whilst the remainder of the Pouch's fittings are steel. Both Pouches have firm stitching and their closing straps are present, strong, flexible, and undamaged. On one Pouch the internal leather dividing strip is present but has come loose at one end, this is not visible from the outside. The final photograph shows the Belt and Pouches set laid out with other items that I have also listed. These extra items do not form part of this sale but are shown for demonstration purposes only. The Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set shown match this Belt and Pouches set in colour and condition exactly. These originally formed an integral part of this Belt and Pouches set and were bought from the same advanced German collection. For the sake of photographic clarity however I have listed the Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set separately. A nice Belt and Pouches set, the match of which would be singularly difficult to replicate.
Code: 54417
Reserved
A very good German Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set in perfectly matched condition. Most desirably, all the components of the set match each other perfectly for condition and wear. The leather components are of an identical dark brown colour and have exactly the same age patina. This is really rather a difficult thing for the collector today to achieve as period leather is infamously hard to match up well. The Entrenching Tool Carrier is the M1909 type and it has a clear German Army date marking for 1915. True WW1 German Entrenching Tool Carriers such as this are exceedingly difficult to find, 99% of the ones offered on the market today are actually "lookalike" versions from other nations such as Bulgaria etc. The Carrier's hanging straps fixings have been period repaired at Depot level by having the stitching replaced by small rivets. Such repairs were a common occurrence at the time as this was a notorious weak spot for such Carriers. The leather to the hanging straps is strong and the Carrier can be hung from the Belt without problems. Wonderfully, and most unusually, the securing strap for the Tool to the Bayonet retains its full length. This is important as these straps are now often found reduced in length making it impossible for the collector today to attach the Bayonet to the Tool as was prescribed at the time. The Entrenching Tool itself is also a correct German example, immediately recognisable as the classic M1898/09 type by the riveted "turn-backs" to the top blade rim. Whilst the German Army used several subtly different versions of the Entrenching Tool in WW1 this pattern is the most easily discernible as German as other nations' Entrenching Tools do not have these "turn-backs". The Bayonet is also a classic, being the M98/05 "butcher" type. This is the 1915 version with reduced muzzle wings, added flash guard, and steel scabbard. The Bayonet is in very good condition overall with the blade bright, clean, and clearly dated 1917. The steel scabbard has a wear mark at the precise spot where the Entrenching Tool Carrier bayonet securing strap rubs, this confirming that this Bayonet has indeed been used in the field as opposed to having been used simply for "walking out". The Frog is the rare pre-war pattern type with brass rivets and dated 1910 on the reverse. There is a period field repair at the top edge above the stud hole. Again, this was a common occurrence on long used frogs such as this as this area was another notorious weak spot. The Frog remains strong and it too can be hung from the Belt without problems. It has an original WW1 German Bayonet Knot attached, this is in good condition aside from the odd bit of staining. These Bayonet Knots came in a variety of different colours with each colour combination denoting a specific Company within the regiment. The blue/yellow colour combination of this particular Bayonet Knot denotes the 12th Company. The final photograph shows the Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set laid out with other components that I have equally listed. These extra items do not form part of this sale but are shown for demonstration purposes only. The Belt and Pouches set shown match this Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set in colour and condition exactly. These originally formed an integral part of this Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set and were bought from the same advanced German collection. For the sake photographic clarity I have listed the Belt and Pouches set separately. A lovely Entrenching Tool and Bayonet set, the main component of which is really rather difficult to find.
Code: 54416
A quite very good example which I believe to be of mid war manufacture and featuring a metal, blue enameled, bottle, the main body of which is covered with a brown cloth. The neck shows some loss to the enamel with subsequent surface rust with one pin sized area of penetration. The covering is formed of two pieces stitched together at the sides and is not removable. Condition of the cloth is excellent and completely free of moth damage. Suspension from a Bread Bag is by a sprung clip attached to a single strap and buckle arrangement around the neck. The stopper is original to the bottle and is complete with a leather strip which is probably intended to be tied to the buckle but presently hangs loose. The final images shows this piece in place as part of an equipment set, the various components of which are to be listed shortly
Code: 54415
75.00 GBP
Small haversack style Bread bag of grey heavy-duty canvas, worn suspended from the soldier's waist belt. The Bread bag features a large pocket divided into two and has a single large flap closure. This flap has two short leather straps sewn the underside of the flap, their purpose to secure the contents of the bag closed by locating these straps over two metal dished buttons, sewn to the lower pocket of the bag. Another longer leather strap is fitted between the latter for securing the contents closed, and this engages over another dished metal button which in this case is missing. A metal 'D' ring is sewn to the top left of the bag's outer flap for suspending the man's Water bottle and has a further short leather tab sewn horizontally beneath to secure the bottle's strap in place. Two button-back belt loops are located to the left and right upper edge, with between them, a single vertical strap terminating with a metal hook attachment that engages over the belt with stampings that appear to show a 1915 date. To the reverse are fitted two small metal 'D' rings via leather tabs, so that a separate strap may be used. Overall condition is very good, with no damage. The final image shows this Bread Bag as part of a equipment set to be listed as separate pieces shortly on this site.
Code: 54414
Forming a fundamental part of the German Infantryman's pack or the Stormtroopers horseshoe roll, this early 1915 dated M1914 grey groundsheet (tent quarter) is in exceptionally good condition, a find which is almost impossible to achieve. Most unusually the groundsheet has seen very limited wear, the grey colour is mostly in it's original state with only minimal fading in one small area and no holes to the main canvas body. This is not what is usually encountered with these. Being a useful all-purpose item such groundsheets were often used post-war in civilian life to cover all manner of articles outside, in all weathers, and for years on end. The consequence of such detrimental civilian actions of course is that more often than not the groundsheet colour is bleached out as well as other damage done. Such post-war treatment however has obviously not been the case here, the groundsheet is in very good condition, with only two buttons missing and three of the small aluminium eyelets being regiment repaired. Regimental repairs to aluminium eyelets were a common occurrence as these were found to be inherently weak under trench conditions. These aluminium eyelets were inherited from the pre-War M1892 tan Groundsheet which marks this particular Groundsheet out as an early 1915 made example. By 1916 at the latest, all aluminium eyelets had been replaced at manufacture by stronger steel ones. Equally exceptional is the fact that this groundsheet still retains nearly all it's original Guy-ropes, something that I have only encountered on one other occasion. Usually these are always all missing, here however, only two Guy-ropes are actually missing. The groundsheet has been taken into service by the Fourth German Army Corps in 1915 and there is a clear marking to that effect. The Fourth German Army Corps spent the entire War on the Western Front. Amongst others, it participated in the Battle of Mons, the First Battle of the Marne and the Battle of the Somme (particularly the Battle of Delville Wood and the Battle of Pozieres). There are two other markings present but these are difficult to make out and understand. I believe one to be a manufacturer's mark, and the other appears to be a trench location field marking? A rare item in incredible condition, despite an extensive internet search I have been unable to find anything similar for sale anywhere.
Code: 54413
320.00 GBP
Luftwaffe Flak Artillery Personnel sleeve insignia awarded after nine month service. Silver grey machine embroidered. Lightweight blue grey backing presumable for wear on a summer issuer blouse. Very good unissued condition
Code: 54412
Luftwaffe Trade Speciality Bade roughly, 55mm diameter, Luftwaffe blue/grey wool base with a machine embroidered, with four lightning bolts, and a Gothic "P", indicating, Peil Funker, (Direction Finder Operator), to bottom, all in silvery/grey rayon threads. The outer edge of the badge is trimmed with hand stitched twisted, silvery/grey rayon cord indicating NCO ranks.
Code: 54411
Clearly distinguishable from the US Navy NAF 1092 Flying Helmet by the USMC property mark stamped into the back of the Helmet, this a rare example of a US Paramarines Jump Helmet. This superb example is in as new unissued as new condition in a size 6 5/8. The US military saw the success of German paratroopers in 1940, and quickly set about creating its own elite airborne units. The US Marine Corps, already a premier force, scoured its ranks for the fittest men to organize into parachute battalions. The "Paramarines" fought on Guadalcanal, and wrested the island of Vella Lavella from the Japanese. Special headgear was developed for the Paramarines, including a USMC contracted NAF 1092 leather jump helmet for wear by instructors and qualified officers. It would be impossible to upgrade this example
Code: 54410
280.00 GBP
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