I have strong opinions on this subject. I generally agree with the Lenswork
publisher, that the whole business of limited editions was foisted off on an
unsuspecting public by avaricious art dealers, just like the words "vintage
silver print," and I expect to take some heat for this, so hear goes...
> 1) What is a reasonable number of prints to do in a "limited edition?" I
> was thinking something like somewhere between 100-250.
First, numbers in the thousands are applied to prints made on a press, where
the actual quanitity depends on when the pressman turns off the switch,
before or after lighting his cigarette. One extra puff, and the edition has
an additional 500.
For photo prints, I have seen numbers in the hundreds, and that to me says
the artist is an optimist. I own several fine art prints (that is to say
ones made by hand by the artist without the use of photomechanical
repreduction), and the editions range from 40 to 150. Both figures seem
reasonable for the artists' reputations.
As a purchaser, when I see a number that high from an unrepresented or
self-represented artist, I consider it to be the same as no limit. As a
photographer who occasionally has showings in sales galeries, I play along,
because I believe the public expects it. I number editions from 6 to 12. To
me, that gives the purchaser some hope that they will not see their purchase
on every street corner. And no, I've never sold out an edition.
And that doesn't even get to the subject of editions by size or in total...
>
> What I've been doing is Title on the left and signature with year of
> production on the right. so it might look like this.
>
> "First Light" Bill Barber
> '05
>
> So, where does the 76/250 go and should I continue to put the date after
> my
> signature? Bill Barber
The number should follow the title separated by a small space. This is the
convention in other arts. And most but not all date their work.
The goal, of course, is to sell lots, to finance that 300/f2.8!
Bill Pearce
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