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 Weimar, Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), 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 Allied 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. Originally the first pattern gasmask carrying canisters were roughly, 9 5/8" tall, until a second, roughly, 10 3/4" tall, pattern was introduced on November 26^TH 1941. The taller, November 1941 pattern, gasmask canisters were a waterproofed version with a rubber seal incorporated beneath the fold back top lid. Further production of the earlier, non-waterproofed version was discontinued as per regulations sometime in late 1942. Of Note: One third of the gasmasks issued to Kriegsmarine personnel were equipped with the unique addition of a microphone port bushing positioned on the right hand side "cheek" of the mask that was designed to accept a screw on microphone as required. Although the masks with the additional microphone port bushing were intended solely for select Kriegsmarine personnel they were also utilized by other German armed forces personnel on a limited basis. Also 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: M30 pattern, green rubberized canvas and metal alloy construction gasmask with a green suede lining to the interior edge and all the web and fabric covered spring straps and alloy buckles are intact. The metal alloy eye socket frames and snout both retain over 95% of their field-grey paint. The paint to the snout appears to have been touched up. The snout is well marked with the embossed manufacturer’s three letter code and date, "btc 42", indicating manufacture by Honsel Werke A.-G. of Meschede in 1942. The snout also has a screw threaded, filter attachment with the intake and discharge valve. The metal alloy eye socket frames are also well marked with the matching, embossed manufacturer’s three letter code and date, "bxv 41", indicating manufacture by Allgemeine Elektrizitäts-Gesellschaft Kabelwerk of Berlin in 1941. The right hand side "cheek" of the mask has the addition of a black painted, screw threaded, metal alloy, microphone port bushing with a corresponding, chained on, alloy screw cap which was designed to accept a screw on microphone as required. The microphone port bushing retains over 95% of its original black paint. The clear celluloid eye socket lenses are intact and show minor age yellowing and surface spotting. The exterior of the mask is well marked with a black, size inkstamp, positioned between the eye sockets, "2" indicating size medium. The interior of the mask is well marked with assorted, black and orange inkstamps that include a waffen-amt, the date, "1943" and the manufacture’s three letter code, "byd", indicating manufacture by Heinrich und Bernhard Dräger Drägerwerke Gasschutzgeräte of Lübeck. The mask is in overall good condition with light age and usage toning and all of the components are intact. The mask comes complete with a field-grey painted, stamped, multi-piece, magnetic sheet metal, Filter Einsatz 41, (Filter Insert 1941). The filter is roughly, 3 1/2" tall with a 4 1/4" diameter bottom, tapering up to an open 1 1/2" diameter, extended, screw threaded, top port, designed to attach it to the mask intake/discharge valve. The top edge of the filter is well marked with a faint, black, inkstamped waffen-amt, a serial number, "8002", the date, "42", and the manufacturer’s three letter code, "clf", indicating manufacture by J. Roeckl of München. The filter also has the impressed designation, "FE41", and a white, hand painted name, "Knötig". The filter retains about 80% of its original field-grey paint with small spots of wear to the base metal with light to moderate surface spotting. The mask comes housed in a second pattern, (Circa November 1941-May 1945), M30/38, field-grey painted, cylindrical, corrugated, magnetic sheet metal construction gasmask canister with a vertical, brazed, side seam. The canister is roughly, 10 3/4" tall with a 4 3/4" diameter. The separate, hinged, top lid has a spring loaded, vertical, sheet metal, closure clip with a stitched on, olive drab canvas web, pull tab and a corresponding, soldered on, closure stud on the canister’s body. The canister retains about 75% of an age and usage darkened, field-grey over-paint with numerous spots of wear to the base metal with light to moderate surface spotting and pitting. The bottom of the canister has the embossed letter, "D", indicating, "Dicht", (Leak Proof). The canister has two, brazed on, raised, extended arms near the top edge and a third near the bottom edge for the carrying and belt support straps. Both the olive drab, canvas web, carrying strap and the belt support strap are included. The carrying strap has a sliding, opened rectangular, steel length adjustment buckle, and a leather reinforced end with an alloy retaining stud. The belt support strap has a steel belt support hook and a leather reinforced end with an alloy retaining stud. The interior of the top lid has a small, square, hinged box for the replacement lenses and contains two, cellophane wrapped replacement lenses with black printed script to the cellophane. The script to the cellophane includes, "Klarscheiben napfförmig. Klarscheiben vor Feuchtigkeit schützen, nicht wischen, nur am Rand anfassen", (Bowl shaped, Clear disks Clear disk for protection against moisture, don’t wipe, only hold by edges). The top lid of the replacement lens box is well marked with the impressed manufacture’s three letter code and date, "gbv 1942", indicating manufacture by Ewald Witte & Co. Schloss- und Metallwarenfabrik of Velbert in 1942. The interior of the replacement lenses box is well marked with a deeply stamped Eagle over "M" indicating Kriegsmarine issue. The interior of the canister still has its protective sheet metal sleeve insert, chamois cleaning cloth and spring wire cleaning cloth retainer all intact.

GRADE ***1/2                             PRICE $358.00