An RAD Enlisted Man's Belt with Buckle by Friedrich Keller, Oberstein

Buckle in silvered aluminum, maker marked "FKO" (Friedrich Keller, Oberstein) on the reverse, illustrating the RAD (Reichsarbeitsdienst) on the obverse, the buckle measuring 47 mm. Belt is fabricated from a very thick leather with a smooth finished brown upper and underside, emboss stamped "100" and "B.A.M. 238" on the underside at the right end, emboss stamped "3. A." with an underline stroke on the main tab at the furthest point from the right end and emboss stamped with the "FRIEDRICH KELLER OBERSTEIN" maker mark and dated "1939" on the secondary tab, the main tab stitched in place on the right end with seven rows of two holes each for length adjustment, silvered aluminum receiving clip on the left end, the belt without sliders and measuring 44 mm x 1,090 mm. Upper exhibiting light wear and contact, the underside with light soiling present. Better than very fine.

Footnote: From the collection of approximately 900 German buckles accumulated by John R. Angolia, who start collecting buckles, belts and brocades from 1944 until around 1990; most of the buckles were obtained from the American and German veterans; most of these buckles present a core of Angolia’s book “Belt Buckles & Brocades of the Third Reich”, published in 2001.