Editioning _____the in's and out's of editioning
To distribute the development costs of
an artwork it became
necessary for the artist
to make multiples of one piece, with this need
came a
necessity for disclosure to avoid
the inevitable underhanded marketing
practices some artists and some galleries would
engage in.
Ever atrophying quantities of desired items
would ultimately raise collection
prices as the items got more and more
sparse. Knowing the quantity of items in
circulation was a useful determinant for pricing a rarity.
Clearly, an overabundant
item would fetch
less of a price than that unique one of a kind rarity.
Thus the
maximum quantity of an edition is
declared right on the artwork.
Definition:
The concept underlying a limited edition
is a contract, a
commitment, a legally
binding promise to limit one’s production of a
specific
artwork to a maximum
number of identical
artworks. It must be noted that there is
no commitment of
actually producing that many artworks. In
the statement n/m customarily
written in
the lower left corner of an artwork the “n” signifies the n’th copy
of
an m sized
edition [m as in maximum]. Excluded from this commitment are,
as
applicable, an
artists proof, a printers proof and one or two copies of
miscellaneous
proofs
for participating cooperators.
Proper Editioning:
Marked with pencil or permanent marker
by hand,
showing n/m = artwork
number/edition size.
Usually a title
and the year of issue, plus the signature of the artist.
Note: Typical maximum
quantities rank
from
n = artwork number m = edition size
small edition m < 100
gallery size m = 150
to 250 typ.
commercial size m =
< 450
virtually unlimited
edition m
> 450
Impact:
The value of an artwork increases with
rarity, press
coverage, archival materials
used (e.g. materials that last over time
without
fading or crumbling or the like),
or publicity.
As an artists work enters art history the artwork and all the
artists
other works increases in value. Ever
letter and every scrap of paper suddenly
assumes value if the name of
the
former owner continues.
Potential abuse:
Aside from outright fraudulent action
significantly gray
areas are entered when
an artwork is slightly altered and subsequently
an
entirely new edition is created.
When
offset prints or copies are replicated with signature and editioning
included in
the actual print (e.g.: not signed and editioned in pencil).
Beware of art prints done with halftone
screens or offset prints all together.
Herb Ranharter
http://www.delarte.com
Webrights 2007 MyART4U@delARTe.com
Copyright 2007 Herb RanhARTer, MyART4U@delARTe.com.
All rights reserved
