Thread: Escher - Private Label

Perhaps the different color labels were different grades?

That I'm aware of, there was no grading system in place by which a distributor would make a different colored border on a more fine stone, or vice versa. And hardly necessary when a single trial will be sufficient to convince the most incredulous of it's superiority.

And I wouldn't call it HAD, but I guess if it's truly an addiction then I might be in the denial phase. :P

Originally Posted by zib

Glad your liking the stone.....

I'm Lovin' it Rich!

I just wish there was a good Escher database around with all the brands and labels that has been discovered by all the straight razor guys.

Does anyone have something like that?

There's this: http://straightrazorpalace.com/hones...alog-page.html

I shall chime in.
The varnished hone shown is similar to mine. Here is a photo from somewhere that would fit the boxed hone of Leading Edge:

and my hone here:


Its color compares to my YG Eshers and Thuringians.
~Richard/ Geezer / Toff
There were many grades of Eschers and perhaps the label color was a way to differentiate the colors on the private labels. I have seen the E.&Co end labels, as in the photo above, on a private label hone. The photo shows it on an actual labeled Escher.

So not an Escher?

I believe the stones were mined and packaged by The Escher Company as the end labels, with E&Co. are found on many of them.( Not on mine, though.)
So to be absolute but maybe not correct, Without an Escher label it is not an Escher. No E..... Label, but a good to great Thuringian.

This confusion has gone on, on forums around the world, since we started collecting stones. There is no-one alive who can tell us, with final authority, as to which stones are from what mine or packager. We can only add a bit of knowledge to the field of study through forum threads like this.
~Richard

Originally Posted by Geezer

I believe the stones were mined and packaged by The Escher Company as the end labels, with E&Co. are found on many of them...This confusion has gone on, on forums around the world, since we started collecting stones. There is no-one alive who can tell us, with final authority, as to which stones are from what mine or packager. We can only add a bit of knowledge to the field of study through forum threads like this.
~Richard

Very True Richard, as you say - there is no-one alive who can give us all the info we seek.

I guess it is up to us to keep alive all that we have found and used, and all we can really do is share our honing experience and edges off of these magnificent thuringian hones.

They really are a step above the rest, and one can see why the old barbers loved these specific ones so much.

Thanks for your pics of your Eschers!

Originally Posted by leadingedge

Very True Richard, as you say - there is no-one alive who can give us all the info we seek.

I guess it is up to us to keep alive all that we have found and used, and all we can really do is share our honing experience and edges off of these magnificent thuringian hones.

They really are a step above the rest, and one can see why the old barbers loved these specific ones so much.

Thanks for your pics of your Eschers!

Here are a few more:


And they made some big ones also:



Here are the end labels I spoke of:

I am fortunate to have found these in the wild! There are hones coming out of collections and estates all the time and they are sometimes found in antique stores and old tool boxes. Keep on looking! I have found one in a store the week after I was there before with no luck. I ask at garage sales and have been escorted through three houses and basements by one of the owners to find a couple stones. Look for old houses with sales and a geezer or two nearby!
I think that we are fortunate to be able to find such treasures! Many are no longer with us. To get a place ready for resale, around here they often used to take a wagon load of stuff from homes, after the owner passed away, out into a gully of a field and burn all to ashes,the hard stuff just melded into the ground!
~Richard
PS. I think much of the hype about Escher hone identification may be because of the rarity of them in the buyers' mind. Anything that is tossed or thrown away due to no perceived value becomes scarce and thereby expensive.

[QUOTE=Geezer;973302]I shall chime in.
The varnished hone shown is similar to mine. Here is a photo from somewhere that would fit the boxed hone of Leading Edge:


These hones were most probably traded by the company: Deutsche Schleifmaterialien Gesellschaft. The initials of that company were the letters DSG, written into one another.
The company was located in Steinach/ Thuringia and sold hones, sharpening stones and other abrasive materials made of thuringian whetstone, mined in Steinach. The company existed in the early 20th century. I am not sure yet if they had their own mines in Steinach or sold stones that were mined by others.
Attached is a small picture that shows the head of a letter of that company with the label (not exactly the same initials than on the stones but looks quite comparable).

Thank you for the information! That is a new slant upon an old stone!I appreciate the knowledge!
~Richard