The Value Of Limited Edition

In a world full of fast and cheap offerings, the availability of digital on-demand printing has inundated the print world with a smattering of visual material whose beauty goes only skin deep. If digital prints feel disposable after a short amount of time, there is a reason for that. Creating a limited edition of something goes beyond simply capping the number of replicas that are produced— a practice that, when devoid of meaning, only serves to artificially inflate its monetary value. Master printers of the past and present, whether a solo artist doing original etchings or a large operation making offset lithograph reproductions, understand the inherent value of a limited edition print run, where the monetary value reflects a real practice and decision process that was undertaken.

Especially when working in fickle mediums such as etching, artists of all eras discover early on the strict attention to detail and fine motor skill required in order to achieve the desired result. Even if a unique print is wrought with “happy accidents,” it intimately involved the hands and the expertise of an experienced person, and its edition of 1 reflects the artist’s intention. In fact, printing is such a delicate and sensitive undertaking that most often printers will “overprint” by a certain percentage, initially making more than the edition size, and then scrutinize the set in order to choose a representative selection. Afterwards, the plates are, in theory, destroyed (or at least put to rest) so that no more prints will be made at a later time, even by the artist themselves. This holds respect for the original integrity of the work, and of the chosen edition set, thereby securing its value. Even if the price fluctuates over time in an ever-changing art market, the printer’s decisions are inextricably infused, leading to an invisible wealth of depth that can be genuinely felt.

An exquisite set of five silkscreen prints titled Poppies by Donald Sultan is so lush it’s overwhelming— with each one at 24” x 24” they create a magnetic presence when all together, quiet and captivating.