Czechoslovakian Victory Medals

[lambert]

Hi Rob!!

A fine example! Still not going to expand my collection of Czech Vic's .. I started with American variants.

But a lot, is very interesting.

Best Regards

lambert

[peron]

Here is my medal (recent buy)...

[Bilco]

Hi Peron,

Another nice example, with the O Spaniel clearly visible.

Bill

[lambert]

I liked the Ribbon and a very beautiful color.

Lambert

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

This is my latest acquisition - I was lucky enough to snag this Czech Official Type 1

It has nice, sharp though tiny LA maker's marks - in the space between Victory's wing, hand, laurel branch and helmet on the obverse, and at the 3 o'clock, in the vee at the end of the banner with 1919, on the reverse. Although the obverse is cleanly struck, there are signs of double-striking or die movement on the reverse. I'll try to get clear close-ups over the weekend.

All comments welcome,

Bill

Edited February 8, 2013 by Bilco

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

As promised, the close-ups -

No O SPANIEL on the obverse.

On the reverse the letters between the 2 and 4 o'clock seem quite sharp and well formed, but they get much less sharp away from that quadrant. Similarly, the leaves on the right side seem sharp but on the left they have marks suggesting some movement of the die. The lion in the central shield looks sharp. There is also an odd 'shadow' effect behind the banner with 1914.

And the LA maker's marks -

On the obverse ...

... and on the reverse.

All comments welcome.

Bill

Edited February 9, 2013 by Bilco

[RobW]

Hi Gents,

On the reverse the letters between the 2 and 4 o'clock seem quite sharp and well formed, but they get much less sharp away from that quadrant. Similarly, the leaves on the right side seem sharp but on the left they have marks suggesting some movement of the die. The lion in the central shield looks sharp. There is also an odd 'shadow' effect behind the banner with 1914.

All comments welcome.

Bill

Hello Bill,

A nice pickup and example. It is not altogether unusual to see small die errors in these official type 1's. At least the Leisek makers marks are nice and strong. They have also been seen with quite muted and soft marks.

Regards,

Rob

[Jean-Michel]

Hello Bill,

I note that your medal is substantially identical to mine. By cons, there seems to be a difference in the language of the lion.

Regards

Jean-Michel

[Bilco]

Hi Jean-Michel,

Yes, they are very similar - yours doesn't have the mis-formed lettering on the left side. There is a slight difference in the lions' tongues -

Mine is on the left, yours on the right - a slightly different curve on the underside of the tongue.

Bill

[lambert]

Very good!

Bill, I had not seen these details before .. thanks for posting this.

Lambert

[Jean-Michel]

Hello Bill,

Hi Jean-Michel,

Yes, they are very similar - yours doesn't have the mis-formed lettering on the left side. There is a slight difference in the lions' tongues -

Mine is on the left, yours on the right - a slightly different curve on the underside of the tongue.

Bill

This is excellent photo editing, we can even better see details.

Super!

Regards

Jean-Michel

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

Just in today, my latest acquisition - I think it's the Czech Reissue Type 2, with the larger leaves on the flower to the right of Victory's feet:

And the close-ups:

And the flower in question:

The planchet is 36mm in diameter and just under 3mm thick. The colour is more gold than brass in the hand.

My example has the same die flaws (if that is what they are) at the 3 and 9 o'clock on the obverse, and the chevron over the E at the 10 o'clock on the reverse, as the ones pictured in posts #1 and #15 on this thread.

Any comments welcome.

Bill

Edited February 19, 2013 by Bilco

[RobW]

Hi Gents,

Just in today, my latest acquisition - I think it's the Czech Reissue Type 2, with the larger leaves on the flower to the right of Victory's feet:

The planchet is 36mm in diameter and just under 3mm thick. The colour is more gold than brass in the hand.

Any comments welcome.

Bill

Hello Bill,

Noting your comment about the planchet colour being more gold than brass, would you class it as a gold-gilt finish or more of a brassy finish?

When seen side-by-side these two varieties are immediately different.

Once you find one variety of the Reissue type 2 you then need to find the other.

Regards,

Rob

[Bilco]

Hi Rob,

I guess I would have to say it's brassy rather than gold-gilt. Certainly very light compared with my other Czech vics. Ok, so now I have to look for the other one!

Bill

Edited February 22, 2013 by Bilco

[RobW]

Hello Bill,

If you grab a copy of pics of the two varieties:

* Post # 15 - Matte brass finish.

* Post # 16 - Gold-gilt finish.

and compare them side-by-side that should be a good guide in your continuing hunt.

Regards,

Rob

[Bilco]

Hi Rob,

Well, I've compared the ones you mention with mine, with this result:

L-R post # 15, post # 16, mine.

Mine seems to be somewhere in between - given that there will be differences in the lighting. It shares some features with #15 - the soldered cylinder suspension, and the flaws on the rim at the 3 and 9 o'clock areas - and it doesn't have the golden glow of #16, so I think I'll go for the former - brassy.

Bill

[RobW]

Hi Rob,

Mine seems to be somewhere in between - given that there will be differences in the lighting. It shares some features with #15 - the soldered cylinder suspension, and the flaws on the rim at the 3 and 9 o'clock areas - and it doesn't have the golden glow of #16, so I think I'll go for the former - brassy.

Bill

Hey Bill,

That is, I think, one of the real benefits of this forum. Having the ability to compare posted pics against our examples educates us all.

Regards,

Rob

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

I've just received, thanks to a heads-up from Rob, the gilt version of the Reissue Type 2:

And the obligatory close-up shots:

As Rob discussed with me in posts # 88 to 91 above, this one has a beautiful smooth, golden glow compared with the brassy version I posted in post # 87. The detail is also rather sharper than the brassy version, and the suspension is slightly different:

The brassy version ® has the cylinder soldered directly to the edge of the planchet, while the gilt version (L) has a small plinth formed on the edge to which the cylinder is soldered.

Best wishes,

Bill

Edited November 23, 2013 by Bilco

[lambert]

Congratulations Bill

Lambert

[davidck]

Can someone briefly describe the difference between the official Type 1 and 2? I have the 1st edition of Laslo's book, and wasn't even aware until I started posting here that there is an official Type 2, as that doesn't seem to be in the 1st edition.

[RobW]

Hello David,

Can someone briefly describe the difference between the official Type 1 and 2? I have the 1st edition of Laslo's book, and wasn't even aware until I started posting here that there is an official Type 2, as that doesn't seem to be in the 1st edition.

In the first edition of Mr Laslo's work he lists an official type and another as the 'unofficial type 4', on page 23. These are then illustrated in that volume as plates 18-19 and 21-22 respectively at the back of the book.

The 'unofficial type 4' is re-listed as the 'official type 1' and the 'official type' is re-listed as the 'official type 2', in the second edition. The main differences are the lack of a designers name (O. Spaniel) and the presence of maker marks (LA) on the type 1 compared to the presence of a designers name and no makers marks on the type 2.

Bill has posted some colour pictures of the type 1, including close-ups of the maker marks in #81 of this thread. That should provide the detail you are looking for.

Regards,
Rob

[davidck]

Thanks, Rob. I was wondering if that might be the case, because I noticed the "LV" markings in the pictures here of the Type 1.

[rocketscientist]

Hello,

this is my Czechoslovakian Interallied Medal, in my collection since some years. Never had the opportunity to ask for opinions, so far.

I always wondered whether it is original or not. Please leave your comments.

Thank you

[lambert]

Hello,

this is my Czechoslovakian Interallied Medal, in my collection since some years. Never had the opportunity to ask for opinions, so far.

I always wondered whether it is original or not. Please leave your comments.

Thank you

Hello,

Yes it is a good example, Type 2 official, the ribbon is modern replacement.

Lambert

[rocketscientist]

Great! Thank you.

Pity for the ribbon, unfortunately most of my Interallied Medals have new ribbons...