Thread: E&Co = Escher&Co??

Hey all,

So a week or so ago I got a beautiful thuringian/escher hone from hi_bug_gl on the forum here. The first pic is just of the label (if you want to see more, go to http://straightrazorpalace.com/show-...azor-hone.html ). I know the Celebrated Water Hone is mined from the same region as the Escher, but it doesn't say Escher on the front, but rather E&Co. I've read a lot of discussion about this, so I thought I would share what I just found out.

I came across across a great example of an Escher label that pretty much proves that E&Co is the SAME as Escher&Co. Compare the wording of the label on the "Celebrated" hone with the label from the "Escher", in the 2nd pic. I took the 2nd and 3rd pictures from the classifieds, I hope you don't mind blaireau! But the 2 labels have very similar wording...

My second observation was based on the name of the company on my stone, E&Co. The E most likely stands for "Escher", but I have more definitive proof now. Look at pic #3, it's the picture of the end of the stone labeled "Escher&Co" on the front. Although it says "Escher & Co" on the front, it CLEARLY says "E&Co" on the label on the side, on the SAME stone!

Thus proving that "E&Co" is the SAME as "Escher&Co"

Just wanted to share that!

P.s. If you already noticed those connections, please disregard this thread! I'm also up for any disagreement

I realized the text was small on the labels, so here's what they say.

On "The Celebrated Water Razor Hone", the first one, it says:

"These are the genuine Water Hones, preferred to all others by Cutlers & Barbers for sharpening Razors &c. They need no other recommendation to their quality than a single trial, which will be sufficient to convince the most incredulous of their superiority.
Be particular to keep them free from Oil and Grease."

On the Escher it says (the left half):
"These are the genuine WATER-HONES preferred throughout Germany to all other for sharpening Razor &c. They need no other recommendation in their quality than a single trial which will be sufficient to convince the most incredulous of their superiority.
Be particular to keep them free from Oil and Grease."

IMHO, since I have many of those hones, who the distributor was is of no importance. E&Co, Escher or just German Water Razor Hone, they all come from the same geological formation and as a consequence they vary in performance just like the Coticules , the Scottish hones and the Japanese hones.

I used to think that the name made a difference but it does not.

Just my $.02,

I agree completely with Randy. I've had five vintage thuringians. Three of them were Escher/E.& Co, one is another brand, and the last has no label at all. I sold off the three E.&Co. ones for the simple reason that they fetch a lot on ebay. My go-to hone is the generic one.

I think Escher & Co. simply had brand dominance, name recognition and cool labels, all of which translates into high prices on ebay.

StraightRazorDave, I saw the stone that you bought when it was on the bay. It is the first stone of that color that i've seen with that yellow back label. All the other stones with that label design that I've seen are Dark Blue. I suspect that yours is either a Light Green or Yellow Green. I believe that E. & Co. is a designation of Escher and Sons since the E. & Co. designation is used on all the end labels that I have seen whether the back label spells out Escher or simply says E. & Co.

hi, this is the German Variante.....found today in Germany, Berlin in the market for 8 €, almost unused