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THE COMPLETE
GUIDE TO
LIMITED EDITION ART PRINTS
How to Identify, Invest & Care for Your Collection
by: Jay Brown |
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CHAPTER 10
- CONDITION, CONDITION, CONDITION |
Defining Mint Condition
Whether your interest is collecting baseball
cards, Model T’s or fine works of art, the condition always plays a part in
determining the value. And, as with nearly all collectibles, one man’s “mint” is
another man’s “mistake.” So, what really constitutes a “mint condition” offset
lithographic print?
The term “mint condition” as it relates to offset
lithographic prints is intended to infer perfect, pristine condition. Is the
print in the same condition as each and every print that was created at the same
time? And, does it look the same as it originally did when it rolled off the
printing press guides and gently fell onto the stack? Both of the questions must
be answered with an emphatic “yes” or the print cannot be designated as “mint.”
The problem with the term “mint condition” is that it
is often used too loosely by collectors and even many gallery owners who don’t
know how to do a proper inspection. They often base their decision on trust,
assumption and a quick one-two glance. They trust that the print they received
was “mint” in the first place; and they assume that nothing could have happened
to the print while in their possession to have altered its condition. And,
that’s where collectors make their mistake.
A print must be inspected from the front as well as the
back for bends and dirt. The borders, edges and corners need to be analyzed for
wear and tear; and the printed image needs to be inspected for flaws. If there
is any reason that another print from the same run exists or existed in better
condition then the print in question cannot be represented as “mint.”
The Importance of Condition
Assume that you are the owner of a print and
you are interested in selling it. Ask yourself the question: “If there is a
print of higher quality and better condition available on the market for the
same price as my print, then which one will a potential buyer want?” All things
being equal, the buyer will desire the one in the best condition.
Sometimes getting a perfect mint condition print isn’t
possible. Perhaps the print desired is extremely old and rare. Perhaps the only
known prints in existence are in private collections or hanging on collector’s
walls. Perhaps after months of searching, the only print that can be located is
not in the pristine condition desired, then what is the print worth? Then, it’s
worth whatever the seller is willing to accept and whatever the buyer is willing
to pay. It then has less to do with condition and more to do with supply and
demand. But, that’s a rare instance today.
Today’s print market is extremely sophisticated. There
are on-line secondary market networks and trade journals with lists of prints
for sale. In most cases a mint condition print can be located over time and some
amount of effort. Therefore any print not deemed to be in mint condition is
going to be worth less than one that is mint.
They say the value of a home or a piece of real estate
is determined by the location, location, location. In the world of art, the
value of a print is determined by condition, condition, condition. Condition is
of the utmost importance.
Conducting an Inspection
VERY CAREFULLY! Since the print must be
handled and turned over during the inspection process, a novice could actually
do harm more than good. If possible have a gallery representative or
professional picture framer do the handling.
There are two things that you have to do before you
ever begin. The first thing to do is arrange for a well-lit clean flat area to
lay the print — a table for instance. Secondly, wash and dry your hands.
In most cases, the print will be in a folder or
envelope and you can lay the entire package directly on the surface of the
table. Carefully open the folder and remove any biography cards, authentication
paperwork, buffer paper or other material that is laid on top of the print.
Without touching the print, look over the image for
anything that looks out of place and might be considered a printer’s flaw. Are
there any scratches, dents or impressions in the image that look out of place?
Is there any discoloration along the edges of the image, perhaps from exposure
to light or from a previous mat or frame?
Next, look at the border and each of the corners of the
paper. Is every corner clean and fresh appearing? Are there any bends or tears?
Look carefully, because often corner bends are missed during the initial
inspection.
Then, pick up the print from the sides. Be extremely
careful to hold the print completely flat. Move the print slowly up and down
from side to side. Do you see any dents or dings? Is there anything else that
now shows in the different light?
Now, you have to flip over the print. Be very careful.
This is the step where damage occurs most easily. Stand so that you are
positioned in front of the longest edge of the print. Then using both hands and
as few fingers as possible, grab the print on the near edge with your hands
spread as wide as possible, and carefully lift up the print. Then in one even
motion, flip the print. If you flip the print and your motion is not equal,
you’ll likely put a ding(s) in the paper.
Now, look over the back of the print the same way you
looked over the front. Analyze the edges and corners again and use the light to
look for dents and dings that didn’t show up from the front. In reality most
dents and dings are more visible from the back of a print because of the white
of the paper, so take your time and look very carefully.
Take a look closely at the top edge on the backside of
the print. Is there any indication that the print might have been previously
framed? Is tape still on the paper? Or could there be a slight alteration of the
paper fibers where tape previously existed even though it has been removed? Most
often the marks from tape can be found in two places, each about one-third of
the way from each corner.
Finally, flip the print back over and measure the
print. Hopefully you have access to a brochure or catalog that indicates the
paper size. Is the size as represented? Is there any way that the print could
have been trimmed?
If everything is clean and in order, then your print is
probably in mint condition. If you have any questions or concerns then get a
second opinion.
Avoiding the Dings
It may not sound like a bell tolling, but
nevertheless “dings” can take their toll on a print. A ding is an impression in
an art print from handling. They often resemble the shape of a crescent moon and
they can be easily caused when a print is lifted or turned.
A ding can be minor — in which case the paper isn’t
truly broken, just bent. In those cases, a professional can often remove the
ding with a tiny bit of distilled water and a warm iron. In more severe cases,
the ding can break the paper, creating a crease that is often impossible to
remove.
Dings are a very common problem with prints. But, it’s
not just the novice collector that causes them by foolishly handling pieces of
unframed art. Dings are often caused by the professional handlers — artists,
printers and galleries — and they can have an adverse affect on the condition
and value of a print.
The Effects of Flawed Prints
Any imperfection in a print, whether it was
caused by improper handling or was an oversight by the printer and/or the
publisher of a work of art, can devalue it.
Most prints are checked for flaws by inspectors working
for the printer and then again by inspectors working for the publisher before
they are sent out to the gallery network for distribution. And, most reputable
galleries will carefully inspect prints upon their receipt, before passing them
on to their collectors. Still, occasionally printing flaws will make it
completely through to the collector before they are noticed. For this reason, it
is highly recommended that you examine your art carefully before accepting
possession.
In cases where the print flaws are minor, and
consistent with the entire edition, the full value of the artwork is normally
maintained. The full value is held because there are no better quality works of
the image ever released.
There have been instances where prints have been
recalled, just like an automobile recall. For instance, nostalgia/portrait
artist Jim Daly’s work “The Thorn,” which was issued by Mill Pond Press, in the
mid-1980’s had a scratch that was hard to see because it was hidden by the
pattern in a blanket on the primary character’s lap. Mill Pond Press caught the
flaw soon after the print was released, and notified the dealer network who in
turn recalled the piece from the collectors who had already received it. It was
reprinted.
Normally, by the time a work reaches the collector it
has been examined and re-examined many times. But, since the ultimate
responsibility is with the consumer, it is highly recommended that you inspect
your prints very carefully.
Rollermarks
Every offset print is made using an offset
printing press, and every offset printing press grips the paper with rollers to
keep it in place as it moves through the printing process. This gripping causes
what are known as roller marks – small, one-inch by one-inch indentations on the
border.
If the paper being used is big enough to allow a
reasonable border around the image, then the marks are generally eliminated when
the paper is trimmed after the printing is complete. However, occasionally with
larger prints, there is very little trimming done and the roller marks can be
seen upon close inspection. As long as these marks are consistent with every
print within the edition they do not affect the value of the print. They are a
necessary part of the offset printing process.
The Border Condition
Even though it’s generally covered by a mat
and frame, the entire border of the print must be in perfect condition for the
print to be considered in mint condition and of utmost value. The border is part
of the design. Furthermore, because it’s the area most often handled — and it’s
traditionally white or off-white — the border is often the first area of the
print to show age and wear.
It comes back to the same basic question: If you have a
choice of buying a print with an imperfect border or, for the same price,
obtaining the same print with a perfect border, which one would you select? All
things being equal you’d choose the perfect one. Therefore, the condition of the
border can have a serious impact on value.
Always be conscious of the border when buying a print.
If you are buying a framed print from a gallery’s display and because it’s
framed you can’t inspect the border, take a look around the store. Look at the
unframed art that they have out. How are they presenting it? Is it protected in
a way that it can withstand reasonable handling? Do they show unframed art with
bent corners, dirty borders or bent edges, then value it the same way they value
mint prints? If they do, then there’s a decent chance that the print you are
looking at is valued the same way.
If you are concerned, it is appropriate when purchasing
a framed and matted work of art off a gallery showroom floor, to ask to have the
piece opened up for inspection. It’s also appropriate to take your business to a
different establishment.
The Value Based on Condition
Obviously a mint condition print is the most
highly prized, but what about a non-mint condition print? What is its value?
There are no right answers to this question, because the value is ultimately
determined by the marketplace; however, by using a scale of 1 to 10, one can
estimate potential values.
10 – Full Value - A perfect mint condition print.
8 – 80% of the Full Value - Any print with a perfect image but a non-perfect
border, such as a border bend, tape marks or any other discoloration that
would be hidden by framing.
6 – 60% of the Full Value - Any print with a problem in the image, generally
undetectable unless expertly examined.
4 – 40% of the Full Value - Any print with an imperfection that intrudes onto
the edge of the image, but can be covered by matting even though it would mean
covering part of the image.
2 – 20% of the Full Value - Any print that has a serious imperfection in the
image, such as fading, a hole, or something so significant that it cannot be
missed when viewed.
There is no science to determining the value of a non-mint
print. The value is determined by what a buyer is willing to pay. Still, these
numbers should offer some guidance and insight.
Replacing a Non-Mint Condition Print
Okay. Imagine this scenario: Your 4-year-old
child, the next Michael Jordan, dribbles the ball down the hall, around the
lamp, over the coffee table, into the dining room — his highchair guards him
close, but he fakes right, he looks left, he arches and shoots… and he scores a
hole right through your favorite print. What do you do?
First of all, put the kid up for adoption. Then call
your preferred art gallery and see if there might be a way to get the print
replaced. In most cases, the publisher will have overprinted the edition by
about 10 percent to allow for damage that might occur during shipping and to
compensate for flaws and imperfections. One of these extra prints — sometimes
referred to as “blanks” because they’re not yet numbered — may be available to
you at either no charge or for a nominal fee. Keep in mind that the older the
print, the less likely the chance it will still be available.
Should a replacement print still be available, the
publisher will request that the original print be packed up and returned to
them. After they receive it, they’ll destroy it and re-number one of the blanks
with the destroyed print’s number.
Some publishers only offer replacements for a limited
time, while others offer them indefinitely. Expect the cost of getting the print
replaced to fall somewhere between $15 and $50 plus all shipping charges. It’s a
small price to pay in comparison to having to buy a completely new print.
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