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I just boubht this small Hohenzollern hone and took some pictures with my ProScope HR digital microscope. I don't know much about this hone except that Kees says that it is finer than than a yellow/green Escher. I'd like to hear from the forum about these beautiful stones.
I thought that was the surface of the sun for a moment! I love seeing hone close-ups. I don't know anything else about Hohenzollern honesQuote:
Originally Posted by blaireau
I sold Kees the one he has. Hohenzollern is the family name of a German Royal family. I have no idea if they in some way licensed their name to that particular Thuringian stone cutting business that manufactured Hohenzollerns.
All this hype with Eschers and the high cost they garner if they have intact labels; I argue that Hohenzollerns with intact label on the stone like yours (I bid on the same stone) are MORE RARE than Eschers. I've never owned a YG Escher, but the stone I sold Kees was one fine (pun intended) stone. He owns both YG Escher and the Hohenzollern and like you said, his opinion is that the Hohenzollern is finer than the YG. So, more rare and of equal or better quality. I'm not saying Escher Schmescher, but I think the Hohenzollern is a gem. Here's your challenge now; try to sell that stone for more than a YG Escher, convincing the Escherites that they should probably be paying more for your stone than a comparable YG Escher. Good luck to ya, that would be one impressive and successful marketing campaign.
I'm lucky that I may very well come across another one in person. I don't know of any now, but I noticed that in very fine print on the label inside the wooden box of Kees' Hohenzollern, it came from the "sole importer" in the U.S. at the time of Hohenzollerns. The Hardware company that imported them was in St. Paul, MN a few hours from me. I bought Kees' Hohenzollern in Alexandria, MN not that far of a drive away. That means........higher probability of Vintage Hohenzollerns in Minnesota, my home state (I'm rubbing my hands together, but can't find a smiley to mimic that!);)
Chris L
Chris, Kees told me about his stone and that it was marketed by an American company. Mine was marketed under the Droescher name so Hohenzollern is probably a type of stone. It looks like a Y/G Escher under the scope at 200X but not so yellow as my Y/G Fox to the naked eye. My Y/G Fox is the yellowest Escher I've ever seen!
Here's my take: Hohenzollern is a Thuringian stone in origin just like an Escher is (Hohenzoller & Escher = Brand names for a similar product. Like Dawn and Palmolive dishwashing liquids). The St. Paul, MN company was an importer of the Hohenzollern stone and nothing more. So, I would assume that Droescher sold stones marketed under among others, the Hohenzollern name. I don't think Hohenzollern is a type of stone.Quote:
Originally Posted by blaireau
Maybe Kees will add his opinion.
Chris L