Is a signed but un-numbered print an Artist Proof (AP)?

February 3, 2015 10:46 PM

Trying to figure out the value of two signed prints that were not printed as part of an edition.

I have two prints from a sort-of well known artist that I'm trying to sell. They were given to me by the artist himself as part of a trade so they are not part of an edition. Each image has a signature and title but no number.

It seems like they should qualify as Artist Proofs, except Artist Proofs are supposed to have "AP" followed by a number written next to the signature...which these prints don't.

Anyone have an idea what these prints qualify as/whether they should be more or less valuable than a normal edition?

Thanks for any thoughts, ideas, random insights...

posted by Griffinlb to Media & Arts (6 answers total)

there is a large chance that they were made from later impressions, studio assistants, they are uneditoned, glicee prints (basically photocopies), or work prints intended to be destroyed but weren't, there is a smaller chance that they are forgeries. there is an even smaller chance that they were work intended as posters for fundraisers or the like...if they aren't editioned, don't have the ap, this is esp. true for a number of 20th century artists. if the artist is significant enough they will have estate or gallery rep, or if they have a printer, they will have records (for example gemini gel or tamarind).

who is the artist.
posted by PinkMoose at 12:35 AM on February 4, 2015

Response by poster: The artist is named James Jean. He used to live in the same city as me and sold his prints right out of his home studio. My dad met James through his business and traded him some collectors items for a 3 prints. I was the fan so my dad asked which prints I wanted and I specified. I'd be very surprised if they were forgeries and in fact they are pretty much authenticated by a special kind of embossing that James Jean does on all his prints. It's my understanding that they are exactly the same as any print edition, only they haven't been numbered.
posted by Griffinlb at 1:06 AM on February 4, 2015

That's one I forgot, I am sorry and I was wrong. Gifts from the studio are also legit fairly common. (I thought we were talking like Johns or Twombly level.) You should talk to his dealer or the printer, if he had one.
posted by PinkMoose at 2:56 AM on February 4, 2015

Jean is still alive, you can always reach out to him. I think PinkMoose is right that the description would be something like "Gift from the studio." If you've got an email to him (or, honestly, print correspondence would be even better), you can include that as proof of provenance. I don't know enough about art sales to know whether gift of studio would be worth more or less than a numbered edition (my hunch is less) but proof of provenance will increase the value regardless.
posted by klangklangston at 9:19 AM on February 4, 2015

Response by poster: Thank you for the answers!
Unfortunately last I heard JJ had sort of gone rogue in Taiwan(?) so I probably won't be able to get ahold of him, and I don't think I would be able to get ahold of any correspondence from the time I got the prints. I guess I'll just go with "Gift of the Studio" for now.
posted by Griffinlb at 9:09 PM on February 4, 2015

Even if he's not currently represented by them, it wouldn't hurt to contact one or two of the galleries he's had solo shows at within the past 5 years. Say it's a gift of the studio and that you're unsure whether it's an AP or an out-of-edition print.

(I could be wrong about this, but my understanding is that an out-of-edition print should have very little value, at least from a living artist, because otherwise it would be a back door to expanding the edition indefinitely. The number of APs (which do have value similar to the others in the edition) needs to be strictly defined before the first print from the edition is put up for sale.)
posted by nobody at 4:29 AM on February 5, 2015 [2 favorites]