Frequently Asked Questions Limited Edition Prints What is a Limited Edition Print? Why does a Limited Edition Print increase in value? What are Artist's Proofs? What are Open Editions? What is a Limited Edition Print? Prints are reproductions of original paintings created on a lithographic printing press. The press run of prints is strictly limited in quantity to a specific number called "THE EDITION." When a print is sold, a Certificate of Authenticity accompanies every print giving the new owner its credentials. Each print in a Limited Edition is numbered in the form of a fraction to make it unique. The bottom number in the fraction says how many prints exist in the edition. The top number identifies this unique copy. (e.g. 25/1000 is the 25th print in the edition of 1000). To create the edition, the artist works with a master lithographer during the press run to assure that the reproduction matches hisoriginal painting in every respect. If she approves the quality of the printing, he certifies so by hand signing the print. PHILIPPE BENICHOU Limited Edition Lithographs are printed in oil inks on the finest art printing paper available. Treated with care they will last a lifetime. Why does a Limited Edition Print increase in value? When an edition is published it is described as a "NEW RELEASE" and is offered for sale at the retail price, known as the "ISSUE PRICE". As prints in the edition are sold and become more scarce, the edition is described as "IN LOW SUPPLY" and collector interest in the print increases. It is important to acquire "Low Supply" prints without delay because so few exist. When all of the pieces in the edition are sold and are no longer available from the publisher, the edition is described as "SOLD OUT". It is then only possible to obtain the prints through other collectors or galleries that have already stocked them, but rarely for very long. At this point the price of sold out prints frequently increases from the original issue price, due to supply and demand. "SECONDARY MARKET" is a term used to describe the reselling of sought-after prints by collectors and galleries to each other. People wishing to obtain SOLD OUT prints must do so on the Secondary Market often at a higher price. What are Artist's Proofs? An edition contains a specific quantity of prints in the regular "EDITION" and very often a number of "ARTIST'S PROOFS" and/ or "PRINTER'S PROOFS." Even with the advent of modern, technically superior printing presses, "proofing" is a critical part of the printing process. With ancient technologies, as the artist worked on press to create prints, it was necessary to pull proofs periodically to see how the work was commencing. With each change on the press, another proof was pulled until the work was perfected. Then the entire "EDITION" was printed. The proofs used for testing were uniquely different from the rest of the edition and, therefore, valued as special by some. Today, the offset presses used to produce prints are so sophisticated that the quality of the last print is as good as the first, and in most cases the Artist's Proofs are absolutely perfect. To set them apart, Artist's Proofs are signed and numbered as such (e.g. 1/25AP) and often released after the regular edition is completely sold out. They are considered special because they carry on the time-honored tradition of designating the first prints off the press in the form of ARTIST'S PROOFS, and because they are so rare. If there are any PRINTER'S PROOFS, they would be numbered as such (e.g. 1/10PP). What are Open Editions? "OPEN EDITIONS" are prints published in unlimited quantities and for as long as there is demand for the image. Because so many prints are published, inexpensive materials are used. The price of an open edition is normally lower and open editions are considered a temporary form of art. Open editions may contain a published signature of the artist, but almost never a hand-written signature. A "POSTER" is an open edition print that contains some text, often of an advertising nature, on the margin or image of the print. |
