Everything you need to know about limited editions

When you discover a picture or sculpture that you would like to buy, it is important to consider whether it is an original, a limited edition piece, an open edition piece or a reproduction. This will enable you to assess both its value and its potential value in the future. It should be relatively straightforward to establish the nature of the piece as this information is usually clearly stated either online in the listing or in the details provided by the shop or gallery.

If you are in any doubt, it is worth conducting your own investigation or having the piece assessed by an expert.

Original Art

Put simply, original means a unique, one-off piece which has been created by the artist’s own hand. These are the most prized and therefore often the most valuable pieces of art. The future value of an original piece will often be higher than that of any type of limited edition or reproduction. However, the value of art will always be dependent on the prestige of the artist who created it. An original piece by an unknown street artist may never be worth as much as a limited edition sculpture by a more celebrated artist.

Size matters with limited editions

Prints and sculptures which have been taken directly from an original work are often released in limited editions. This means the number of pieces made is restricted to a specific quantity. Each piece is an exact copy of a work by the artist’s own hand. In other words, limited edition sculptures are cast using a mould made of the original and all prints in an edition are produced using the same plates.

Limited edition pieces are not one-offs but could be one of a very small number. The value of most limited edition art is closely related to exactly how many pieces have featured in the edition. An edition could be five pieces, it could be five thousand and clearly any art in a small edition will be much rarer. Each piece in an edition is usually marked with a print run number or casting number. Alternatively a work may be supplied with a certificate bearing this number which looks like a fraction. For example, 56/100 would be marked on the 56th piece produced in an addition of one hundred pieces.

The size of an edition will be dictated by the artist’s wishes, the anticipated demand and possibly the materials used to produce the pieces. Etchings made with printmaking techniques such as drypoint or aquatint are usually released in small editions, due to the fragility of the printmaking process. More durable methods like screen printing, lithography, and cast metal sculptures enable artists to produce much larger editions. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they will choose to do this.

Prints, photographs, or sculptures with edition sizes that are greater than 200 are often deemed to be multiples or reproductions as opposed to fine art limited editions. This is because the larger quantities make it impossible for the artist to be involved in the production process or the approval of each individual piece. If the artist has had no involvement, the value of each work will be lower.

While originals are usually the most valuable works of art, prints can be highly prized too. One of the first prints ever made by Pablo Picasso, a piece entitled The Frugal Repast, sold for £1,945,250 in 2012! Au lit: Le baiser, a lithograph by Toulouse-Lautrec sold for an incredible $12,485,000.

Which numbers in an edition are the most valuable?

This is an interesting question. Many factors influence the value of a limited edition and undoubtedly the most important of these are the artist or sculptor from whose original work the piece was taken. The size of the edition would also be crucial. Prints and sculptures are not necessarily produced, or at least finished, in the order in which they are numbered. The artist may number them at random later. In theory, the print run number shouldn’t matter in terms of value but some collectors like to look for low numbers. If any prints in an edition ever become more valuable than others, it would be those with the lowest numbers.

Occasionally, you will find limited edition numbers which are sought after because they are of special significance or relate to the work itself. For instance, if you were buying a sculpture of Apollo 13, it would be beneficial to get your hands on number 13 in the edition.

Ironically, it is possible that later numbers in a limited edition actually cost their buyers’ more than the lower numbers. This is because galleries might choose to sell the pieces in number order. If it becomes obvious that there is a huge demand for the pieces, the price of each piece could be changed to reflect this. It might pay to get in early if you are interested in a work from what is likely to be a very popular release.

Can the number of pieces in a limited edition change?

In most cases, the number of pieces in a limited edition is cast in stone, if you will forgive the pun! Artists restrict the number of pieces to ensure that each retains its value. They will then destroy the materials used to make the works, whether they be printing plates or moulds, to ensure that the edition cannot be expanded at a later date.

In rare cases, artists, galleries or the estates of artists will decide to extend a limited edition. The resulting works should be labelled as second editions. An edition created after an artist’s death is called a posthumous edition. Second and subsequent editions tend to be of lower value than first editions, as with books. Again, it pays to get in early!

Artists Proofs

Most limited editions will also include a small number of artist’s proofs. These are usually listed as “AP” or “A/P” in the information provided about the edition. Artists often keep these proofs for their own collections and anything which has actually belonged to the artist will generally achieve a higher price when resold. Proofs are certainly extremely desirable if they are in any way unique such as prints featuring notes by the artist.

Artist’s proofs should form no more than 10% of an edition. If you encounter a higher proportion than this, you have reason to question the integrity of that edition.

During the printmaking process, the artist might test different ideas, colour palettes and even compositions. Trial prints are made and when the artist is satisfied with the finished plate, a B.A.T. proof is then produced. B.A.T. is short for bon à tirer, a French expression meaning ready for printing.

Artist’s proofs (also known as épreuve d’artiste, or E.A) are impressions of a print, taken during the printmaking process to review the plate. In the past, artist’s proofs were usually the first prints made from a fresh plate. These days, an artist’s proof can be pulled out at any time during the print run. Artist’s proofs are identical to the limited edition prints, but instead of the usual print run number they will be marked A/P (or E.A). Limited editions of sculptures may also include artist’s proofs.

Open Edition

An open edition is one which is not limited in number. Open edition pieces will be less valuable than limited edition works. The mention of the word edition should mean that each piece is still a finished work taken from an original by the artist’s own hand. This is as opposed to a reproduction which is merely a copy and not taken from an original mould or lithograph. However, you should never presume that this is the case.

Every artwork in a limited edition should be identical. Any which are significantly different from the rest should not be included and should be sold as open edition pieces.

Investing in art

Your investment in art will be limited by your budget. Original pieces by highly regarded artists tend to be extremely costly. Limited edition prints and sculptures provide a more affordable way to own works by the artists that you admire. They may also appreciate in value, but there are no guarantees. Original paintings and sculptures by unknown artists give you the benefit of owning something unique without breaking the bank and could also become valuable one day. Having said all this, unless you are purchasing art only to yield a profit, the best pieces to choose are the ones that you love!

If you are looking at investing in art, browse through our original or limited edition sculptures to find a piece that you admire.