Heer My Heer Equipment and Insignia

[Avitas]

Hello from Canada,

I will use this post to post my various Heer Equipment, Uniforms, and Insignia as I get them. I hope you wil enjoy the items and give me some advice and opinions on the various items. First up, the Heer Belt Buckle. It is a very nice piece I believe and I am pretty sure it is a good one, but as always, your opinions and ideas on makers etc are encouraged.

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

The back of the Heer (Army) Belt Buckle...

[Avitas]

Here is my most recent purchase from last weekend, an Officer's cap eagle in aluminum, unfortunately with the pins broken off. Any opinions are great!

[Avitas]

and the back of the Army Cap Eagle...no pins

Pat

[Paul R]

While I do not focus on belt buckles, I do own a few for belts for my uniform groupings... from what experience I do have with them, I do not like yours.

I think that it is a repro for several reasons.

1. The rainbow like sheen(seen on newly made metal items)

2. The lack of detail/sharpness in the insignia

I cannot comment on the hat eagle, but I think that it has a chance.

Regards

Paul

[Avitas]

Hi Paul,

The rainbow sheen is from the light reflecting off my scanner, it is not present on the badge itself. This might make a difference or maybe not, but any more opinions from fellow members on the buckle are welcome.

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

Here is my other Heer Cap eagle, very similar to the first posted one, but a thicker swaz and three pins. Made of aluminum as well, with a Heer wreath made of aluminum and a cockade that I believe might be a naval cockade judging by the colour (see other topic on this forum). Any ideas on these Heer uniform items are great.

Cheers,

Pat

[Avitas]

Here are the backs of the Cap Eagle, Cap Wreath and cocade. The first posted cap eagle has the thicker swaz and the second appears to be a bit thinner on the previous pics.

Pat

[Avitas]

Here is what I believe to be a metal Heer chest eagle. It might be a cap eagle but it seems too large (94 mm wingspan). Is this an original piece? Does anybody else have one to show? I really haven't found much on this item and any help is great.

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

the back, any opinions on this eagle or the other posted items above?

[Avitas]

And here we have some sort of Heer army eagle. It is 40 mm tall and has decent detail. Was this an awarded piece, an insignia, or a fantasy piece? I don't see any of these anywhere so any advice is very welcome.

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

and the back of this Wehrmacht metal insignia. Any ideas on its originality or purpose?

[Hauptmann]

and the back of this Wehrmacht metal insignia. Any ideas on its originality or purpose?

Hi Pat,

May have found this one. Thought I'd seen it the other day when I was searching out some things.

http://www.thirdreichmedals.com/mini.html

(E992) A stick pin membership badge for the Army Civilian employees. The badge shows the army eagle holding the swastika. This is identical to the eagle that you find on the helmet tropical plate and it is nicely cut out with nice detail. Nice to find. In vgc.GBP ?30.00 Picture

(E1677) An Army civilian employees badge being a down winged eagle holding a swastika. This is mounted on a pin that has been shortened probably by it's original owner. GBP ?20.00 Picture

Seems then that it's for civilian employees of Das Heer.

I actually do have one... but mine is gold? Go figure?! Perhaps it was for civilian employees of the Kreigsmarine. I'll try to do pics of it when Kim and Nick get back home from the Badlands (sounds like something out of Planet of the Apes... "The Forbidden Zone"! ) as they have the camera. Not even sure if that would do it... might have to wait till I can get it scanned one way or another.

Hope this helps!

Dan

Edited May 20, 2006 by Hauptman

[Hauptmann]

the back, any opinions on this eagle or the other posted items above?

Hi Pat,

Not sure on this one. That back looks soooooo rough! Generally most TR pieces tend to be finished... even late war stuff tended to be much more finished than it probably should have been. Habits die hard I guess. Unlike the Japanese that basically gave up all attempts at finishing things off and just knocked stuff out and got it out the doors as quickly as they could. Hence alot of their firearms not being recommended for anything other than wall hangers as far as late war pieces go. Just too many shortcuts.

I could be wrong on this as again I'm far from being an expert... but all the stickpins I've ever seen that were authentic (and I've seen a bunch... at Jack Angolia's alone!) were well finished and looked great front and back.

But again there always seem to be exceptions to the rules.

Dan

[Gerd Becker]

Pat,

i am terribly sorry, but in my opinion the Buckle and the eagles in post 9 and 11 are without a doubt copies.

best,

Gerd

[Hauptmann]

Pat,

i am terribly sorry, but in my opinion the Buckle and the eagles in post 9 and 11 are without a doubt copies.

best,

Gerd

Hi Gerd,

Really kinda figured on the one in #9... but are you positive on #11? Seems insane that they'd do such an obscure piece. I never even knew what it was till I saw it on that dealers site... unless they're all bad and that info was incorrect. Please let me know as I have one but in gold... with no attachments on the back.

Have nothing in mine but just for the future knowledge of others it would be nice to know.

Thanks so much.

Dan

[Gerd Becker]

Hi Dan

look at the poor shape of the eagle and the strange needle system. The reverse gives it away as a casting. These eagles were mostly stamped as far as i know. This is not german workmanship

all the best,

Gerd

[Hauptmann]

Hi Dan

look at the poor shape of the eagle and the strange needle system. The reverse gives it away as a casting. These eagles were mostly stamped as far as i know. This is not german workmanship

all the best,

Gerd

Hi Gerd,

Well, always try to hope for the best... but yes, you're right. Know all about German workmanship... our VW Golf has nearly 300,000 miles on her and she's still kicking. Don't think she'll ever stop. She's a 97 Harlequin. Supposing eventually we'll need a new engine and tranny, but hardly ever any problems, loves the road and just won't stop.

[attachmentid=40112]

Thanks!

Dan

[Avitas]

Thanks Gerd and Dan,

I had my suspicions about the small insignia eagle as well, as I got it from Mr. Rip-off (anyone who has seen my other posts about the TR badges will know who I'm talking about), but I haven't seen any examples of the metal stickpin eagle with the rough back before. Does anyone else have one like this, real or copy, to compare? Or perhaps this is a fantasy piece. It's a shame about the buckle though, guess I can use it for air-soft battles now! Regardless, I assume the wreaths, cockades and cap eagles are fine then. I didn't really have any concern that they were bad, as I have seen other originals like these elsewhere and I am pretty sure they're good 'uns. Any opinions on the wreaths etc are welcome though. Here is another Heer Officer cap wreath, this one 1 piece and slightly beat up. Sure its good but any confirmation would be nice.

Thanks gentlemen,

Pat

[Avitas]

and the back of the wreath...

[Avitas]

Here is another piece that falls under the "Personal Equipment" category, a cloth handkerchief or table cloth or some kind of linen. Haven't been able to fully ID it, but it is marked with the HU marking with an eagle. I have read that HU stands for Heeres Unterkumpft or something like that and is the stamp for accessories made for the Heer. It is 30 inches square and all white except for the stamp, and is a heavy linen. It passes the burn test and doesn't glow. Any ideas on the stamp or this item in general?

Thanks,

Pat

[Avitas]

here is a closeup of the HU stamp and fibre of the cloth..any opinions on this or any of the previous posted items?

Thanks,

Pat

[Hauptmann]

And here we have some sort of Heer army eagle. It is 40 mm tall and has decent detail. Was this an awarded piece, an insignia, or a fantasy piece? I don't see any of these anywhere so any advice is very welcome.

Thanks,

Pat

Hi Pat,

Here's mine... sorry it took me so long to post. One difference is that it's gold and not silver.

[attachmentid=42999]

[attachmentid=43000]

Perhaps civilian workers in the Kreigsmarine?

Dan

[Avitas]

Hi Dan,

I saw a picture of this type of insignia (the silver eagle in the shape of the helmet sticker) as an add on to the shoulder tabs for a Boatswain in the Kriegsmarine Naval Administration. I would scan the pic but it is copyrighted in the "Nazi Regalia" book by Jack Pia, done through Ballantine Books in 1971. It appears to be the same eagle that I have posted. If anyone else has this book the pic is right after the illustrations of the uniforms section on a page of Kriegsmarine items. Any thoughts out there?

Cheers,

Pat

[Avitas]

Hi Gents,

I just picked up this Heer Belt Buckle with leather stabilizer marked 1940 and a maker mark I can't make out, but I can see "R. S??????, Ludenscheid, 1940" on the leather. It is stamped on the back of the buckle "R.S.&S." If anyone knows who this maker is that would be great. It looks like a nice condition original to me, much better detail than the earlier buckle I posted on this thread. ANy help on the maker is appreciated,

Thanks,

Pat