'limited addition' prints

[bryceworld]

Hi all,

 

I was just wondering how this limited addition thing works..

So you get a few 'wow' shots.. and you can say offer them as limited addition

50inch prints, 200 only, or whatever the case maybe. Can you not sell these at a

smaller size anymore?

What is and isnt generally accepted?

E.g whats the point of offering limited prints of 50inches when the 40inch

option is available?

I dont think i'm getting my true point accross (i cant really explain myself

that well) :P

But yeah, just looking for a general rundown on the do's and don'ts of it.

Thanks for any help

Bryce

[Matt Laur]

There aren't really any hard and fast rules on this, either in photography or fine-art printmaking (like lithography, etc). But generally, making another run of the same image in a different format or on different media (another paper stock, etc), means you now have a <i>second</i> limited edition. At this point, I think that the main reason most photographers (certainly not all!) use the phrase ("limited edition") is to produce an atmosphere of exclusivity, limited availability, and thus some more urgency on the part of the prospective buyer.

<br><br>

In fine-art printmaking, an edition is usually limited because you're wearing out the plates or the etched stone that's being used to render the image. Editions are limited for very real, tangible reasons. With photographs, only the darkroom labor (at worst) or injket ink supply (at best) would put a limit on how much work can be produced in a given day and on short notice.

[kbauman]

The correct term is "limited edition" not "limited addition". Big difference.

[peter_mounier]

Actually, there are hard and fast rules to limited edition prints. There are laws in at least 13

states regulating the sale of fine prints, including California and New York. In California, for

instance, if you sell a print for more than $100.00, not including the framing, you have to

provide a certificate of authenticity stating, among other things, how many prints are in the

edition, how many editions are in print, and when was the edition released. And it has to be

signed by the artist.

I found this information in a book titled "Legal Guide for the Visual Artist 4th Edition" by Tad

Crawford, Allworth Press. It's very informative and not full of legalese.

Peter