Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 99:
Description
WWII German Wehrmacht M31 Pattern Bread Bag (Brotbeutel 31) in tan canvas, a field-used haversack example with leather closure straps and steel attachment hardware, circa 1941-1944. Offered here is an original German M31 bread bag, or Brotbeutel 31, the standard-issue haversack carried by Wehrmacht soldiers across all branches – Heer, Luftwaffe, Kriegsmarine, and Waffen-SS – throughout the Second World War. Adopted in 1931, the Brotbeutel 31 remained in production and issue through the war’s end, its canvas weight and shade varying according to contractor, date, and theater of supply. Tan and olive-tan duck canvas variants such as this one are consistent with issue to the Deutsches Afrikakorps and other Mediterranean and southern-front formations, though similar coloration also appeared in general Wehrmacht issue as wartime shortages altered dye lots and material sourcing – color alone therefore cannot confirm a specific theater of service. Worn at the small of the back on the combat belt via rear loops and steel hooks, the bag was a soldier’s constant companion in the field, carrying hardtack and tinned rations, mess kit components, washing kit, and other daily necessities – the humble, unglamorous gear that sustained the ordinary infantryman on campaign from the desert to the Eastern Front. The bag is constructed of tan canvas body panels with a flap closure secured by a leather strap and tab, fastening to a stamped metal button; rear belt loops and steel hook attachments allow it to ride directly on the standard leather field belt. The main compartment retains the expected single-pocket configuration typical of the pattern, with canvas reinforcement stitching along the principal stress points and seams. Condition is fair to good and consistent with honest field use: the canvas shows age-appropriate fading, surface soiling, and minor staining, with wear at the edges and fold lines from decades of handling. The leather closure strap and attachment loops exhibit expected creasing, dryness, and minor surface cracking, while the hardware – button, D-rings, and belt hooks – shows surface oxidation and finish loss consistent with age and prior service. A solid, honestly worn example of the classic Wehrmacht bread bag, offering collectors an affordable and authentic piece of German infantry field equipment from the Second World War.
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