Heer / Waffen SS late war M42 Mess kit

The German M42 ration set (Kochgeschirr 42 (Eis.)) is a simplified, all-steel version of the standard ration set introduced in 1942 for the Wehrmacht during World War II. It was a wartime measure to save materials and speed up production. Unlike its predecessor, the M31, which was made primarily of aluminum, the M42 ration set was made entirely of steel ("Eis." stands for Eisen, German for iron/steel). The design was simplified with fewer and less well-finished details. One of the major differences was the mounting of the wire bracket to the ration set body, which consisted of simple folded steel instead of the cast metal versions of the previous model. Early models also lacked the measurement markings present on the M31. Steel sets were typically primed and then painted, or enameled and painted. The most common color was olive green, but there were also variants with a blue-gray or dark black/gray enamel finish, often depending on the manufacturer. Usage: Like the M31, the set consisted of two parts (a pot and a lid that served as a pan/plate) and was designed for both cooking and eating in the field. It was typically attached to the soldier's bread bag with a leather strap. The M42 ration set reflected the increasing pressure on German industry as the war progressed, with a shift from higher-quality materials like aluminum to cheaper, faster-producing alternatives like steel.

This item:
A truly rare steel late war matching M42 Mess kit by "MKL" which stands for the manufacturer Max Kamper from Ludenscheid. Made from steel and retains practically most of it's original paint. The lid is marked: "MK", production date 1944. On the right side just below the handle matching maker mark and date.
A hard to find early matching set