An Italian Army Officer's Cross Belt with Cartridge Pouch c. 1930s-1940s

Cartridge pouch interior is lined in a magnetic metal, the exterior front, back and bottom covered with a black brushed felt, the side panels in silvered brass and incorporating an ornate trim, the weather cover is hinged to the pouch and has a magnetic metal framework, with a black leather cover and synthetic underside, a silvered brass crowned spread-winged eagle, with a shield bearing a cross upon its chest affixed to the weather cover, the edge of the weather cover trimmed in silvered brass, the underside with a silvered brass clasp and when joined with the silvered brass post on the bottom of the pouch, guarantees a secure closure. The side panels come with silvered brass loops screwed in place on either side for placement of the accompanying cross belt clips, the pouch measuring 66.7 mm x 143 mm x 25 mm, while its weather cover measures 86 mm x 151 mm. The cross belt consists of two pieces, each with a gold-coloured bullion wire upper, herringbone pattern design incorporated in the centre, the edges trimmed in a repeating v-shaped pattern, the uppers stitched in place upon black felt backers, each piece with a synthetic core, two insignias affixed to the belt's upper that appears on the wearer's front, a 56.8 mm x 90 mm silvered zinc crowned eagle with raised wings and a shield bearing a cross upon its chest, a 57.5 mm x 76.7 mm shield consisting of a two-piece construction, with a bronze crowned cypher of King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy affixed to a silvered die-stamped brass shield outlined in oak leaves and acorns, with roses in the two upper corners of the shield, two large feather-tailed arrows protruding from the top of the shield, the two insignias linked by two chains incorporating multiple figure-eight knots. The part of the belt that appears on the wearer's back has two silvered die-stamped brass crescent-shaped brackets outlined in oak leaves and acorns, with roses at either end facing each other, butting silvered die-stamped brass insignias underlying the brackets, consisting of a single matching crescent-shaped bracket outlined in oak leaves and acorns, with roses at either end butting a rectangular bracket incorporating a floral motif, silvered brass loops with silvered brass spring-loaded clips placed at either end and attached to the side loops on the cartridge pouch, the cross beltmeasuring 63 mm x 1,010 mm. It cartridge pouch exhibits wear on the leather-covered exterior of the weather cover and on the hinged areas on both sides, along with surface rust present on the metal interior, while the cross beltexhibits slight discolouration in the gold-coloured bullion wire upper. Very fine.