German WWI M1915 Prussian Steel EM Buckle, 1916 Dated Tab, Variant Catch

Original period manufacture. This is an interesting variation, one I hadn't seen before. Basically a standard stamped steel Prussian enlisted buckle with a gray painted finish. The catch is unusual in that instead of a welded loop, it is a vertical steel bar with two smaller bars on the underside which create the catch for the belt hook. The adjusting prongs are a bit different as well, instead of the cut steel prongs, these are flattened steel and painted in the same shade as the buckle. Normal age and wear, no damage.