Bidspirit auction | SS EM/NCO Belt Buckle.
SS EM/NCO Belt Buckle. - SS EM/NCO Belt Buckle (Koppelschloss für Mannschaften und Unteroffizier) The Allgemeine-SS , (General-SS), was originally formed in May 1923 under the auspices of the SA, Sturm Abteilung, (Storm/Assault Detachment), as the Stosstrupp Adolf Hitler (Shock Troops), and was re-designated Schutz Staffel, (Protection Squad), in April 1925. As a subordinate unit to the SA, early SS personnel wore the standard SA style, box, belt buckle. It is believed that Adolf Hitler personally designed a new pattern, box, belt buckle specifically for wear by SS EM/NCO personnel with the manufacturing patent being originally granted to the Overhoff & Cie. firm in Lüdenscheid. This new style buckle was adopted for wear by EM/NCO personnel in late 1931 or early 1932. Generally the early buckles were produced in solid nickel/silver until sometime in 1936 when aluminum alloys replaced the nickel/silver versions. In 1940 the EM/NCO’s belt buckles began to be manufactured in steel replacing the aluminum alloy buckles. Originally all the buckles had a silver finish until late 1939 or early 1940 when Waffen-SS, (Armed-SS), personnel’s belt buckles began to have a field-grey finish, although the silver versions were retained for dress wear and were commonly worn in the field. Injection molded, natural aluminum construction, (Circa 1936-1940), box belt buckle features a smooth, outer field with a high relief, embossed, central motif pattern consisting of an SS style national eagle with out-stretched wings, clutching a wreathed, static, swastika in it’s talons. The swastika and wreath are in turn encompassed by a circular, simulated, twisted, rope border with the Gothic/Fraktur scripted motto, ” Meine Ehre heisst Treue! ”, (My Honour is Loyalty!). The script is situated on a subtly textured, background field and is encircled by the inner and outer simulated, twisted, rope borders. The reverse of the buckle is a mirror image of the obverse. The raised, slotted buckle catch, and prongs are all intact. Prongs bar slightly damaged. The reverse of the buckle is well marked with the embossed ” RZM ” logo, and ” SS ” runes, within circular borders, flanking the manufacturer’s contract code number and date that appears ” 822/38 ”. VERY IMPORTANT !!! Shiping from our office in Europe