Belts...old or new??

[Kim]

Another thread made me start thinking about how to tell when a belt was made. The look has not changed a lot since the first one was made. So this is what I have been told:

Old belts, ww2 vintage, are "hooked from the right". New ones are "hooked from the left". This is of course very un-scientific and I have nothing to back this up except some russian collectors word on it. Variation can of course also depend on factories etc. etc. But I think this rule can have a point. I have attached some of my buckles and one belt in this thread. They support this theory but if you can prove me wrong... great! Information should be shared...even if I do look foolish;)

Front:

[Kim]

The back. The one with leather waist band is not made from brass. It is steel that has been coloured, how I have no clue or why for that matter. On worn places the steel color is clear.

[Kim]

I have no photos of the navy belt being worn. But I have one dated 1945 in Prague with the army belt.

[Kim]

I found a photo in my photo box. No date, but should be late 1930-ties. It also looks like it "hooks from the right". Note the early donald duck cap without the white stripe!

I found a nice buckle at a swedish show this weekend. Will scan that one later on. Even if I'm the only one collecting soviet belt buckles... ;)

[Kim]

Here is the one I got this sunday. Front:

[Kim]

and reverse:

[Kim]

This is the only reference in my books that I found with belt buckles. It's taken from "The Naval Form 1917-1945", Moscow 2001, ISBN 5-7151-0047-X.

The one in the bottom row is for cadets.