Need sources from where to get medals from South East Asia

[Adam Phayamouk]

I already have 2 medals in my collection that are very symbolic to my culture: Laos Order of the Crown (w/o ribbon) and Laos Combatant's Medal (w/o ribbon). I am on the hunt to find the missing pieces for a Laos collection.

I've been in the thai and lao regions 3 times already. Not once have I ever come across antique shops.

It is too difficult to rely on ebay.com for rare medals to appear; this source does not count.

Please care to share your resources, it would very much be appreciated.

My sincere thanks,

Adam

P.S. What would be the best chance to obtain replacement ribbons? I read through these forums, and tried contrasting the ribbons to french ribbon sellers on ebay and was not successful.

Edited June 10, 2009 by Adam Phayamouk

[alex82]

Hello Adam

I also traveled a lot in southeast-Asia, never Thailand but Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. The only Antique Shops I ever came across were in Hanoi and Saigon but they had mostly very old french or Vietnam-War era medals. last year I traveled through Laos about a month from pakx? over vientiane, luang prabang to the far north were I crossed the border to go to dien bien phu, I alway keept an eye open for medals but never fond one.

ot much of a help, sorry. I hope somone can give you better tips...

a l e x

[Hugh]

Hi, Adam,

I suggest that you specify the countries of interest.

There are many military outfitters in Bangkok around the Ministry of Defence, and you can also find medals occasionally in that huge flea market (forgotten the name unfortunately).

Similarly, there are a few outfitters / tailors in KL.

Singapore is thin, aside from Eng Leong.

Indonesia has outfitters in Jakarta and Surabaya.

I may be able to dig out a few names from the dusty archives, but let me know what countries.

Hugh

[922F]

Hugh is spot on---exact cities are useful in locating dealers. Tokyo and Taipai have a number of antique shops with medals in stock but usually at HIGH prices. A few other suggestions---There were a couple of shops a few blocks south of the Bangkok's Oriental Hotel and a few jewelers near the Bangkok U.S. Embassy could scout for you if you're in town for a couple of weeks. A shop in KL's Chinatown near the big temple had a few medals amongst general junk/antiques last year....the concierge at the Regent Hotel had the location. Before the 'troubles' several places in Kathmandu near the big central square had good stuff. Yak & Yeti hotel staff could direct. Never found anything in Johore, Surabaya, Bali, or any number of other places. If you get to Dili, near the old UN compound there is a crafts market with vendors who will search for you but pickings are very thin--one Indonesian medal & 2 UN medals in 3 visits. Vientiane and Ho Chin Minh City vendors have a few recently made royal Lao items, none I've ever seen with ribbons. Again, hotel staff have locations--of course, I'm sure they get a referral fee but you'd never find anything with out their help.

Ribbons are very difficult. Thai dealer/collectors, for example, seem to have more problems getting ribbons than insignia. If you visit Paris, Bacqueville and/or Marie Stuart in the Palais Royal are better bets than Bertrand for Francophone states, usually ex-colonial, ribbons. Both still had some old stock last Fall. I believe Bacqueville also had some recently made 1,000,000 Elephant 35 mm ribbon available.

[alex82]

hey 922F

I just read that you mentioned Taipei as a source!

Can you give me an address or street to look for antique medals? In 3 weeks I go to south-korea for a month and I will also detour to Taiwan for a few days to visit friends. Or does anyone know a good dealer in south-Korea (specially Seoul)?

Thank you very much for sharing this knowledge!

a l e x

[922F]

Hello Alex, I do not have exact addresses for places where you may find medals. Since I almost always stay in big hotels, I ask the concierge staff for help in finding coin or antique [potential medal] shops or likely flea markets. If you are not staying in a big hotel (Regent, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Raffles, etc.) stop by anyway and ask the concierge. For a reasonable tip they will help you out and either give very clear directions or a map and write the address or location in national characters so that your taxi driver or guide can find antique and junk shops. A couple of highend hotel "curio" shops have the odd medal but you don't even want to ask prices there! If you make a connection with local collectors clubs [though toId such exist in both Taipei and Seoul, I have never been able to do so] I'm sure they could assist and maybe even sell some duplicates. N.B. The KL Regent hotel concierge was able to give me a lead to the KL coin collectors group.

I was told that you can buy current type medals & awards from Taipei military tailors or suppliers but have not done so. In Seoul you can find a few U.S. awards and less frequently the Korean medals with the crossed bullets in the big shopping market area [forgot the name but everyone knows it] but other Korean awards are hard to find. Some U.S. military guys claimed you could get current Korean awards from military supply shops but I have not done so.

Other suggestions---If you have not visited the Military Museums in Seoul or Taipei try to. There were interesting but small displays in Seoul's Military Museum including some imperial Korean awards and a great display in Taipai's. Again, I don't have the addresses but in both cities almost all taxi drivers know where they are-- concierge staff can help with this too and tell you approximate taxi fees so you don't get ripped off.

Enjoy your trip!

[Hugh]

Korean laws are strict. In Seoul, there are several military tailors in YongSon, just to the left of the Military Museum. Unless you have a ROK officer with you, they're unlikely to sell you anything, even ribbon bars. There are a couple of shops in Insadong (no names) which have Korean ODM, including one imperial Korean Grand Cross order for which he wanted about $8000. It was beautiful. If you have a particularly helpful Korean friend, you may be able to find the manufacturer of current Korean ODM. After considerable persuasion, you may be able to get him to sell campaign medals, but nothing higher. I've never seen anything in Itaewon (probably the area 922F is referring to) nor in Namdaemun nor Tongdaemun markets.

In Taipei, there are military tailors in the Shimending area who will sell tailor's copies of almost everything.

[922F]

Hugh is right--I was told that Koran law strictly regulates awards and possessing them. Even asking questions about them may get a very suspicious, strange or quizzical look or response. And I was thinking of Itaewon in Seoul. The "crossed bullet" Korean medals I was remembering [sorry forgot the correct name; think it was the Korean "Police Action" War commemoration medal?] actually looked like the ones you see at DeGreef's in Brussels. Maybe these were ex-U.S. PX items?

Hugh, Some years ago, before the death of the "last empress" there was a sort of Korean royalist society that commemorated various imperial events, often at the downtown palace in Seoul. Usually they dressed in traditional Korean robes but a couple of times some were attired in the Korean version of European type uniforms. Do you know of this group and if so whether they used copies of imperial uniforms and awards or just theatrical type regalia? Also, is there a Korean medal collectors group?

[Hugh]

Hugh is right--I was told that Koran law strictly regulates awards and possessing them. Even asking questions about them may get a very suspicious, strange or quizzical look or response. And I was thinking of Itaewon in Seoul. The "crossed bullet" Korean medals I was remembering [sorry forgot the correct name; think it was the Korean "Police Action" War commemoration medal?] actually looked like the ones you see at DeGreef's in Brussels. Maybe these were ex-U.S. PX items?

Hugh, Some years ago, before the death of the "last empress" there was a sort of Korean royalist society that commemorated various imperial events, often at the downtown palace in Seoul. Usually they dressed in traditional Korean robes but a couple of times some were attired in the Korean version of European type uniforms. Do you know of this group and if so whether they used copies of imperial uniforms and awards or just theatrical type regalia? Also, is there a Korean medal collectors group?

Sorry to say, don't know (abt the group) and don't know (about a collectors society). I used to go there for aerospace business, but retired a couple of years ago. There are a couple of downtown palaces; well worth the visit.

The bullet medals are quite common with dealers. The ribbon when new is incredibly gaudy.

Hugh

[alex82]

Thank you Gentlemen, for the great advise. In Taipei I visit a close Friend, she grew up an lives in Taipei so I have someone to translate and look after me. The two museums are definitely on my list. I was already in Taipei a few times but never found the time to visit and korea will be my first time so the war museum and the DMZ is set. And yes the Hotel staff is always a good place to start in a new city. So I will try my best to find something of interest and will for sure let you know here in August.

thank you again and have a good weekend

a l e x

[heusy68]

Hello Alex, I do not have exact addresses for places where you may find medals. Since I almost always stay in big hotels, I ask the concierge staff for help in finding coin or antique [potential medal] shops or likely flea markets. If you are not staying in a big hotel (Regent, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Raffles, etc.) stop by anyway and ask the concierge. For a reasonable tip they will help you out and either give very clear directions or a map and write the address or location in national characters so that your taxi driver or guide can find antique and junk shops. A couple of highend hotel "curio" shops have the odd medal but you don't even want to ask prices there! If you make a connection with local collectors clubs [though toId such exist in both Taipei and Seoul, I have never been able to do so] I'm sure they could assist and maybe even sell some duplicates. N.B. The KL Regent hotel concierge was able to give me a lead to the KL coin collectors group.

I was told that you can buy current type medals & awards from Taipei military tailors or suppliers but have not done so. In Seoul you can find a few U.S. awards and less frequently the Korean medals with the crossed bullets in the big shopping market area [forgot the name but everyone knows it] but other Korean awards are hard to find. Some U.S. military guys claimed you could get current Korean awards from military supply shops but I have not done so.

Other suggestions---If you have not visited the Military Museums in Seoul or Taipei try to. There were interesting but small displays in Seoul's Military Museum including some imperial Korean awards and a great display in Taipai's. Again, I don't have the addresses but in both cities almost all taxi drivers know where they are-- concierge staff can help with this too and tell you approximate taxi fees so you don't get ripped off.

Enjoy your trip!

Hello Gentlmen,

Does anyone has adress for shop who might have Medals & Orders in Beijing.

Thanks.

Emmanuel

[Helmsman]

Shops in Bangkok

Edited November 27, 2009 by Helmsman

[Helmsman]

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