3 Signs You Have a Reproduction Print
Joe Niewierski
The realm of fine art prints is an area that causes much confusion. How do you know if you're holding an original print or a reproduction? It can get complicated, and like most things in life (and especially true in the art world) all of the rules have exceptions, however, here are three of the most solid rules for sorting out reproductions.
Lots of Dots
Reproductions are typically created using a photo-mechanical process, converting the image into a series of dots rather than the solid lines created by a hand-made original matrix. That last sentence may require another blog post to give a full explanation. For now, just know that if an image is made up of thousands of tiny dots it is likely not an original.
Young Chickadees, Etching with Aquatint by Charles Heil
A Print of a Something Else
An original print comes into existence as a print, e.g., a stone lithograph, an etching, a relief print, etc. If a work was originally created as something other than a print, such as a painting, its image can not occupy an original print. Regardless of the quality of the print or the material it's printed on, even with an artist signature, limitation numbers or certificate of authenticity, the image will always be, by definition, a reproduction.
Dancers on the Rail, Painting by Edgar Degas - High-Quality Reproduction Print on Wrapped Canvas
Borders and Titles
Original prints will typically have either blank margins or pencil notations including artist signature, title and/or edition limitation numbers. Anything else in the margins, especially layout elements such as the artists name in a typeface, background colors or copyright information, signals that you are likely looking at a reproduction.
Three Worlds, Lithograph by M.C. Escher
There you have the three most obvious signs that the image on paper you are holding is a reproduction rather than an original print. That said, the absence of these issues doesn't guarantee you have an original.
We also haven't discussed value in this article, and here's why. Both original prints and reproductions have a range of values. Some reproductions can have considerable value. At the same time, some original prints have very little value. Even if the prints you have are reproductions, don't throw them out. Let us take a look and we'll be happy to let you know what you have.