Thread: What a major Score to my collection

It's your Escher and your money. If you are happy to have forked out whatever you paid for it, and then have it sit on a shelf forever, then good for you.

If on the other hand you want to use it, paint that label side with a clear varnish and enjoy a nice stone.

James.

This stone reminds me of The Pearl, The story where a poor man finds a freakish gigantic pearl but ends up only gleaning pain and suffering from it. Whatever you do with this stone, I fear that you'll end up making a decision you'll one day regret. Sort of a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" kind of thing. I wouldn't recommend chucking your Escher into the ocean, though.

First, I don't think you should hold onto it forever. Consider, though, Eschers with full labels AND boxes in that kind of shape are pretty darn few and far between, at least compared to ones with lesser labels. The next time you're on Ebay look for 2 Eschers with different label qualities (size, clarity, color, etc.) and see where their respective selling prices end up. Labeled stones in that condition sell at a distinctly higher price, almost as a rule. (Of course you may have paid a small fortune for this stone. For whatever reason I'm assuming you could sell it for more than you have into it).

If you want to use the car analogy, putting varnish on that immaculately preserved label would be the value-destroying equivalent of spraypainting flames on a vintage Ferrari with original paint. Is it still a Ferrari? Yes. Is it still an amazing car to drive? Yes. Did you reduce its blue book value? You betcha. Before you criticize that terrible analogy, let me agree that it isn't quite apt. I'd prefer to draw similarities to the act of rebluing an antique gun.

Second, if you don't put the varnish on it and then decide use it, the label will find a way to get wet. I don't know what happens to decades-old paper products and/or adhesives when they get wet, but my gut tells me it's not improvement. In that regard, Jimbo above is correct: if you're going to use it, varnish it. At least then it will keep its provenance and pedigree as an Escher, though not as pristine as its current condition.

In short, I longwindedly agree with what Jimbo said succinctly above. It's yours. However, you asked the question, so I'll give you my "Minnesota nice" passive-aggressive thoughts: it just seems like a bit of a shame to spoil such a well-preserved and valuable piece when you have others that perform imperceptibly different from it.

That's my two cents, no big whoop.

It's probably not an Escher. I have seen the label before inside an Excelsior synthetic box and on a Thuringian. It doesn't have Escher written on it. It might still be just as good as an Escher, so congrats.

Originally Posted by Piet

It's probably not an Escher. I have seen the label before inside an Excelsior synthetic box and on a Thuringian. It doesn't have Escher written on it. It might still be just as good as an Escher, so congrats.

Here the box and label Piet is talking about!