Original German Pre-WWII Heer Army Officers 60mm Brown Leather Open Claw Buckle Belt by F. W. Assmann & Söhne with 1942 Dated PP Holster by Rudolf Conte

Original Item: Only One Available. The belt with open claw belt buckle was original worn during the Weimar Reichswehr era and continued into the Third Reich with minor modifications enacted in May 1934. The open claw belt buckle was authorized for wear by almost all political and military organizations during the Third Reich period with a variety of different institution dates. When worn by political personnel the buckle color was to match the button color of the uniform worn and when worn by military personnel the buckle color reflected Company and Field Grade or General Grade Officer ranks with silver for the Company and Field Grade ranks and gold for General Grade Officer ranks. During the Third Reich there was a prescribed form of wear of the belt and buckle with the buckle being positioned on the right side.

The German’s concern with leather shortages was evident as early as September 1939 when issue of the traditional tall leather marching boot was restricted to personnel serving in the field. During the war further leather shortages resulted in additional regulations that limited or restricted leather usage and included the narrowing of the standard 60mm, (2 1/2"), wide Officer’s leather belts to 45mm, (1 3/4"). Later in the war they also began to use Preßstoff Faux Leather in place of animal leather.

This is a lovely condition pre/early war Wehrmacht Heer Army officer's open claw belt, made from wider early 60mm width light brown leather and fitted with a large nickel plated zinc buckle. It is marked on the back with the "barred A" trademark of F. W. Assmann & Söhne of Lüdenscheid, a large maker of belts, buttons, and other accoutrements.

We measured the belt, and it is quite large, measuring 39 inches from the last set of holes to the claws, so it was intended for a larger individual. The belt is still in lovely condition, with the leather very supple, and it looks to have seen light use during the war. There is a bit of wrinkling to the finish, but no cracking or other issues, and the plating on the buckle is relatively well retained.

Attached to the belt is a lovely service used German WWII brown leather breakaway holster for the Walther PP pistol. These 7.65 / .32ACP caliber "pocket" pistols were favored by officers in the Heer Army, and the design follows the standard breakaway "high-front" design of the period. Some holsters were made to fit a variety of the various pistols in this chambering, however this one was made specifically to fit the Walther PP. The leather on this holster definitely shows wear and cracking from long service, giving it a great look.

This example is ink stamped under the top flap with gjh / 42 for the maker Rudolf Conte, Nachf. Theodor Seibod, Fabrik für Lederwaren, located in Offenbach am Main. The name of the company indicates that Rudolf Conte was the Nachfolger (successor) of Theodor Seibod, and that it made leather products. It is also stamped with the correct Waffenamt WaA668 inspection stamp.

A great officer's belt and holster set from WWII Germany, ready to display!

The Walther PP (Polizeipistole, or police pistol) series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols, developed by the German arms manufacturer Carl Walther GmbH Sportwaffen.

It features an exposed hammer, a traditional double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel that also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring. The series includes the Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S, and PPK/E models. The Walther TPH pocket pistol is a smaller caliber pistol introduced in 1971 identical in handling and operation to the PPK.

Various PP series are manufactured in Germany, France and the United States. In the past, the PPK version has been manufactured by Walther in its own factory in Germany, as well as under licenses by Manurhin in France; Interarms in Virginia and by Smith & Wesson in Maine. Since 2018, PPK and PPK/S models have been built at the factory of US-based subsidiary Walther Arms, Inc.

The PP and the PPK were among the world's first successful double action semi-automatic pistols. They are still manufactured by Walther and have been widely copied. The design inspired other pistols, among them the Soviet Makarov, the Hungarian FEG PA-63, the Polish P-64, the American Accu-Tek AT-380 II, and the Argentinian Bersa Thunder 380. The PP and PPK were both popular with European police and civilians for being reliable and concealable. During World War II, they were issued to the German military (officers), including the Luftwaffe, as well as the Ordnungspolizei.