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What is a Limited Edition Print?
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By Kelli Swan
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A Limited Edition Art Print is a reproduction of anoriginal painting, drawing or other two-dimensional piece of artwork. "Limited Edition" refers to a set number of replicas of awork of art. Each reproduction is then signed and numbered bythe Artist for authenticity.
The practice of limiting editions and numbering proofs datesback to early printing methods -- when the quality of the proofsdeclined as the printer plates began to show evidence of wear.By limiting an edition to first-rate examples of an artist'swork, the artist protected both his or her artistic integrityand the value of the work to the collector. Printing methodshave since advanced considerably and editions are now oftenlimited for financial reasons. By ensuring the relative rarityof the artist's work, he or she increases its value.(Two-dimensional reproductions are often referred to asprints, and the terms will be used here interchangeably. This isnot to be confused with the "original print-making" processwhere the artist actually hand-creates each print.)
In addition to a fixed number of edition prints, there may alsoexist "AP" prints and "HC" prints. AP prints refer to ArtistProofs. Artist Proofs also date back to early printing methods.These were the first pulls off the press -- used to determineink coverage and general quality. As they were the first piecesto be printed, they were traditionally considered to be morevaluable. AP prints are signed and numbered separately from themain edition. HC prints, or Hors De Commerce (not for trade)prints, are marked by the artist as prints to be used forbusiness practice: such as samples, display only, etc.Occasionally there are also PP or Printers Proofs. These referto the very few proofs which are given to the printerresponsible for printing the work.
Since Signed Limited Edition Prints have inherent value, buttend to cost much less than original works of art, they makegreat gifts!
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