BACKGROUND: With the development of poisonous gasses used as offensive weapons in WWI appropriate defensive gasmasks also had to be developed. The German WWI M1915 and M1917 gasmasks evolved into the Reichswehr era M24 gasmask and eventually into the M30 and M38 gasmasks used in WWII. All German Army personnel were issued with a gasmask, carrying canister and accessories and were required to have it readily available at all times. Although the use of chemical warfare agents was considered by the German OKW, Oberkommando der Wehrmacht, (High Command of the Armed Forces), fear of the Allies retribution forced them to reconsider and shelf the idea. Fear of the potential use of chemical warfare agents made the gasmask and canister a constant companion of the German soldier through-out the war. Of Note: In spite of the fear of the potential use of chemical warfare agents some German personnel opted to utilize their gasmask canisters as a container for extra food or contraband in spite of regulations.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: M38 pattern, molded black rubber construction gasmask with magnetic sheet metal and alloy fittings. All of the original web and fabric covered spring straps and buckles are all intact. The metal alloy eye socket frames and snout both retain about 80% of their ordnance tan over-paint with small spots of wear to the base alloys. The snout has a screw threaded filter attachment with the intake and discharge valve and is well marked with embossed manufacturers code and date, "btc 43", indicating manufacture by Honsel Werke A.-G. of Meschede in 1943. The clear celluloid eye socket lenses show moderate age yellowing. The mask is well marked with embossed size numeral between the eye sockets, "2", indicating size medium. The interior of the mask is also well marked with a couple of faint, orange and red inkstamps that appear to include a waffen-amt stamp. The interior of the mask also has the embossed manufactures three letter code, "clf", indicating manufacture by J. Roeckl Handschuhfabrik of München. The internal intake and discharge valve is also well marked with the embossed manufacturers date and three letter code, "43 bwz", indicating manufacture by Auer-Gesellschaft A.-G. of Berlin in 1944. One of the head retaining straps is well marked with a black inkstamp that consists of, "09 Apr. 63 M", possibly indicating it was reissued. The mask is in overall good condition with minor age stiffening. The mask comes complete with an early issue, stamped, multi-piece, magnetic sheet metal, Filter Einsatz 37, (Filter Insert 1937). The filter is roughly, 3 1/4" tall with a 4 1/4" bottom diameter tapering up to an open 1 1/2" diameter, extended screw threaded top lip. The filter still has its original gilt washed, protective magnetic sheet metal screw top cover intact. The bottom edge of the filter has six concentric rows of punched breathing holes and the internal air filtering components appear to be fully intact. The top edge of the filter is well marked with a faint, black inkstamped waffen-amt, the manufacturing date, "1939", the designation, "FE 37", the stylized, overlapping manufactures initials, "DW", within a triangular border indicating manufacture by Drägerwerke Gasschutzgeräte, (Anti-Gas Equipment), and a serial number. The filter retains about 95% of its original field-grey paint with small spots of wear to the base metal. The mask comes housed in a second pattern M30/38 gasmask canister. The corrugated, magnetic sheet metal canister is roughly, 10 3/4" tall with a 4 3/4" diameter. The canister has a separate, hinged, top lid with a spring loaded, vertical, closure clip with a coarse khaki web pull tab and a corresponding, soldered on, closure stud situated on the canisters body. The spring loaded closure clip is well marked with the manufacturers three code and date that appear to be, "frn 42", indicating manufacture by Rudolf Lang Federn-Draht und Metallwarenfabrik of Brandenurg in 1942. The canister retains about 75% of its original field-grey paint with numerous small spots of wear to the base metal with light to moderate surface spotting. The bottom of the canister has an embossed, "D", indicating, "Dicht", (Leak Proof), and signifies a watertight canister. The canister has two brazed on, extended arms near the top edge and a third near the bottom edge for the carrying and belt support straps. Both the carrying strap and the belt support strap are absent. The interior of the top lid has a small, square, hinged compartment for the replacement lenses. The replacement lenses are absent. The top lid of the replacement lens compartment is well marked with illegible manufacturers mark and date visible as, "1941". The interior of the canister still has its protective sheet metal sleeve insert and a spring wire cleaning cloth retainer both intact.

GRADE ***1/4                             PRICE $265.00