A German Black Shoulder Strap by Franke & Co., Lüdenscheid

Strap in leather with a smooth finished black upper, smooth finished beige underside, strap fed though a silvered metal buckle with a pebbled upper, the buckle securing the strap where it folds around to the reverse and is riveted in place, the strap emboss stamped "KERNSTÜCK" and maker marked "2/304/36" where it wraps around to the reverse, one slider on the strap with its ends riveted together, the strap measuring 19 mm x 980 mm, each end of the strap housing a functioning magnetic metal clip secured by the strap where it wraps around to the reverse, each clip with a pebbled upper, marked with the RZM (Reichszeugmeisterei) insignia and maker marked "M5/75" (Franke & Co., Lüdenscheid) on their reverses, each clip attached to a magnetic silvered metal D-ring, with a 18 mm x 70 mm folded over strap riveted in place to both. Very light crazing on the leather portions, scattered silvering wear and surface rust on the clips. Near extremely 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.