I was able to get the Interallied Victory Medals of WWI by Laslo from the library. AMAZING book! I love how he gives you the full history of how you'd be awarded/entitled to each clasp/bar, etc. Very cool!

I haven't been able to get a copy of the newer WWI Victory Medals by Michels, Jr. yet, as no library I have access to can get it yet. So . . . I am hoping that someone on here has both or has had both and can give me a nice comparison. I went through as many pages on Amazon's view as you can see, but it only shows pages that are showing and discussing makes and types of clasps/bars, etc. Does the Michels book give the history of why you would be awarded each clasp, the criteria for service required by each country for a soldier to be awarded a Victory medal, the different designers and makers of each medal, etc?

Am really hoping that someone on here has both and can give me a nice comparison! I'd like to get a book about the Victory medal, but both are pricey, so I'd like to get the best option for my interest! Thanks for any thoughts and help!

Elizabeth

 

Hi Elizabeth,

sorry, I am new to the World Forum; up to now I have been hanging out only on the US Militaria Forum.

I have both books, but I haven't actually compared them fully as I refer to both. Laslo I have had for many years and although it wasn't perfect, for a long time it was the only real reference out there, so I got used to referring to it and I learnt how to quickly find what I needed. Jim Michels did a really good job of updating the information, adding in a lot of new material and most importantly having good colour photos showing the medals and also pointing out the subtle differences between the different types. Jim added into some new variants not in Laslo and also the Polish (fantasy?) victory medal, but he doesn't have the Philippine Constabulary victory medal that was in Laslo.

So, if I had to choose only one to buy now, I would recommend Michels, but get both of them if you can find them and can afford the prices.

Hope that helps,

best wishes

Rob

For "stratasfan"...

 

I've included some images and sources... 

 

Yes, this is the book on Allied Victory Medals, however, from what I briefly saw, it is WAY TOO SUPER ~ EXTRA overpriced.  Dude, it's not rare.  It's not some privately printed tome from a vanity press with a production of less than 500.  I have no idea why these going concerns want so much money for it. 

 

As for me, I got mine from "Pieces of History" a couple of decades ago when it was $25USD postpaid.  I guess that's when there was no interest and no demand.  Sort of reminds you of those classic, legendary "Bender books".  I remember when they were reasonably priced and widely available.  It's not like it was half a century ago.  It wasn't.

 

They're out there.  Don't spend too much...

 

Sources:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/356778811918

 

https://www.amazon.com/Interallied-Victory-Medals-World-War/dp/0961732016

 

https://www.subchaser.org/laslo-interallied-victory-medals

 

https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/the-inter-allied-victory-medals-of-world-war-1---2nd-revised-edition_alexander-j-laslo/14165616/?srsltid=AfmBOoplq-LC3D7JWyLW72wcx5aUaBYFAgbzHhRRI5aqfCOVTzOnrkEo#edition=60217064&idiq=48146399

 

Check this one out, just out of curiosity...

 

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1177962787/reproduction-ww1-16-inter-allied-country