Thread: Do Rules for Other Antiques Apply to Eshers?

There have been many posts regarding thing people try to refix and seal their escher labels with. i.e. Krylon, urathane, nail polish etc. Though it may not apply to this crowd in particular, this does in my mind lower the value of the stone in that it now has a new finish and most importantly a repair or modification that is not reversable.

In light of my own instincts, I reglued the label on my escher with hide glue which would have been correct for that period of manufacture looks and feels like original. There could have been others like caesin for example. Seems like not too many around here feel this way from the modern materials they are putting on there labels and that is fine for some folk, but how many collectors would pay full price for any antique tool, gun or furniture that has been refinished?

If anyone has tried period correct methods for reglueing or sealing it would be good to hear what has worked for you.

Just food for thought.

IMO, since a hone is a tool and the label side would not normally be used, I am in favor of sealing the label on. I would rather preserve the history of it than preserve the "original finish."

That said, I would only do it if I knew it would look good when I was done (aka not sloppy).

But then again, I polish most of my razors and I rehone the edges if necessary too. Technically, when you hone an edge, it changes the finish and irreparably removes material...

I see your point, but on here most Eschers owners are users and not collectors, unless its a pristine Label like a NOS i can see preserving the label without waterproofing it.Most just want the label or parts of it to prove that its a genuine escher. But what if Escher used shellac to glue the label on the stone and you used hide glue!!! is it worth less..........i think not...

Originally Posted by Martin103

I see your point, but on here most Eschers owners are users and not collectors, unless its a pristine Label like a NOS i can see preserving the label without waterproofing it.Most just want the label or parts of it to prove that its a genuine escher. But what if Escher used shellac to glue the label on the stone and you used hide glue!!! is it worth less..........i think not...

Shellac would indeed be a period correct sealant! If I wanted to remove the hide glue and apply shellac I could without damage. Do it once in a while on fiddle labels that are a couple of centuries old. Hide glue it totaly reversable.

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

IMO, But then again, I polish most of my razors and I rehone the edges if necessary too. Technically, when you hone an edge, it changes the finish and irreparably removes material...

I think that would be normal wear within the function of the tool. Like a car with high milage is worth less and a NOS could be pricelss. I think razors and hones do follow general rules too.

I use nail polish and it works just well, - i do re-polish now and than...
I polish most of my hones so they dont chip off, and yes.. for the Eschers its to protect the label if any...

I don't think people here buy these stones for their antique value. From what I've seen they buy them mostly because they think they'll do magic for their razors, and probably because they think they can profit later on from reselling the hones.

I buy them for the function, and while a label is a nice extra I've only paid for labeled hones so that I can test them against any other one. Of the three-four thuringians that I've kept, only one has Escher label. The others have different labels, and I'm happier with them because they cost me less than if they had 'Escher' on them.

The only thing I've ever done to protect the labels was to not get them wet and use the other side of the hone for honing. It's been working really well.

Originally Posted by gugi

I don't think people here buy these stones for their antique value. From what I've seen they buy them mostly because they think they'll do magic for their razors, and probably because they think they can profit later on from reselling the hones.

I buy them for the function, and while a label is a nice extra I've only paid for labeled hones so that I can test them against any other one. Of the three-four thuringians that I've kept, only one has Escher label. The others have different labels, and I'm happier with them because they cost me less than if they had 'Escher' on them.

The only thing I've ever done to protect the labels was to not get them wet and use the other side of the hone for honing. It's been working really well.

Hi Gugi!!

People may not be buying them for antique or collector value but they are now paying collector value for them.

That's probably true, but you know how it goes, supply and demand. My thinking is if others spend too much of their money on stuff I don't want it means I'll have to spend less of mine on the stuff I do want

Originally Posted by Kingfish

Hi Gugi!!

People may not be buying them for antique or collector value but they are now paying collector value for them.

Maybe and maybe not. In the late 1980s a tattoo artist/collector friend of mine sold a rare tattoo machine to another artist for $600.00. The Tattoo Historian, a fanzine of that time, asked the seller if they could print that in their next issue. He allowed it under the condition that they not reveal his name, nor the buyer's. He didn't want anyone to know he was so mercenary as to charge that much for an old tattoo machine.

Fast forward to the mid-'90s and that machine sold for $3,500.00. So markets change and someone can say, well .... a this or a that will never be worth .....whatever. But you never know. I forget, if I hadn't already posted , I use Krylon Preserve It for back labels and "Hard As Nails" polish for end labels. Won't shellac turn yellow and flake over time ?