Osler vs Reusche Silver Stains

[David P]

Hello,

Does anyone have any experience with the Osler made silver stains?

It looks like Clifford Osler has started to make silver stains again after
a multiple year break from production.

How do they compare to the silver stains by Reusche and/or those
made in Europe?

[Don Burt]

Oster stains are stronger than Reusche and Debitus stains. You can use less. But ultimately, I don't know if they can achieve a deeper saturation than other stains. The most saturate Reusche #3 yellow on a given piece of glass is as saturated as the strongest Oster. Painters who are more experienced than me extoll other virtues of Oster stains, including ability to achieve gradients, able to survive higher temperatures, better able to blend and smooth out the material. But I can't verify that from experience. Oster was really expensive a couple years ago when I bought it.

[David P]

Hi Burt,

Are you comparing the saturation based on a single application and firing?

[Don Burt]

Good question. I really haven't systematically determined the strength of saturation difference between the stains that I have. Ken Leap's book has photographs that attempt to do so. But my impression is that on a given piece of glass, if you put a lot of Reusche on it, and a little Oster stain on it, you wind up with equivalent yellows. I can't tell you what happens in multiple applications and firings. My work doesn't involve matching historical existing work. I know I can't control silver stain very well, and I don't need to, so I tend to accept what I get. I will tell you that Oster is the favorite of a lot of painters who are more particular than me.

[David P]

Thanks for the responses Don. It sounds like the best way to compare the two stains is for someone to conduct their own tests.