Original German WWII Army Heer EM/NCO Preßstoff Belt with Pebbled Aluminum Dress Buckle – Excellent Condition Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent condition late WWII German Wehrmacht (Heer) Aluminum EM/NCO’s Dress Belt Buckle (Koppelschloß) with an original black finished Preßstoff faux leather belt. The buckle is embossed with the Heer motto GOTT MIT UNS (“God (is) with us”) around the Wehrmacht Wehrmachtsadler (Armed Forces Eagle). Nice aluminum construction box buckle with a pebbled background. The buckle is in excellent condition, and is a two piece example, with a stamped and crimped body and attached Heer insignia. It shows little to no wear, and has a lovely silvered finish on the exterior for dress use. There is no maker marking on the buckle itself which is without a leather tab.

The Preßstoff faux leather belt is in excellent condition, with a lovely black pebble grain finish on the exterior, and a beige color on the interior. It retains the leather size adjustment tab with a double row of 7 holes, which does show some finish degradation. The belt itself measures about 42 inches in overall length, and shows just a few edge dents and minor delamination. It is definitely quite stiff, and we do not recommend trying to straighten out, as it may damage the material.

Overall condition is very good with an exceptional eye appeal! Ready to display!

Presstoff (also Preßstoff or Pressstoff) is the German-language term for a type of ersatz or artificial leather used during the first half of the 20th century. Made of specially layered and treated paper pulp, Presstoff was durable and easily adapted to be used in place of leather, which under wartime conditions was rationed. First invented in the 19th century, it gained its widest use in Germany during the Second World War.

Presstoff use included but was not limited to binoculars cases and straps, horse tack, bayonet frogs, equipment belts, cap visors etc. In short, Presstoff could be used in almost every application normally filled by leather, excepting items like footwear that were repeatedly subjected to flex wear and/or moisture. Under these conditions Presstoff tended to delaminate and lose cohesion.