We are currently holding a special edition book fair with prints in store.
We exhibit and sell special edition books in the price range of 6,000 to 100,000 yen, but because we usually sell collections of works, we have received quite a few comments from customers who say they don't know the market price for prints in the first place.
So in this article, I would like to consider what criteria are used to determine the value of a photographic work, and whether a 100,000 yen special edition is expensive.
To state the conclusion first, a 100,000 yen collection of artworks with prints is not cheap, but not expensive either.
To put it more specifically,"Generally speaking, 100,000 yen is not a cheap purchase, but when you take into account the overall value of the work, it may not be too expensive."It will be.
There is probably no need to explain the former any further, so today I will give a quick rundown of the latter, explaining how the value and price of a work of art are determined.
[Photo value]
Unlike paintings and sculptures, photographs can be reproduced as many times as you like from negatives and data. Therefore, the "edition system" is adopted to give works the same originality as other artistic genres.
An edition is an agreement to produce a work in a pre-determined number, thereby guaranteeing the work's authenticity and rarity.
For photographic works, editions of 3 to 5 copies are common, with the most being around 10 copies. The number produced determines the rarity and value of the work, so the fewer the number, the higher the price, and the more the number, the lower the price.
Additionally, the artist's reputation and fame are important, and the final value is determined based on that. As with anything else, the price of a work fluctuates based on the balance of supply and demand. (There are also various other criteria, such as the age of the print, the technique, and the size, but I've omitted them here.)
Framed print from "The Well Special Edition" by Nigel Shafran
In addition to the regular edition of the collection, this fair will feature a special edition with limited edition prints.
To determine its value, I recommend using the following four points as criteria in addition to the indicators mentioned above.
1) How many copies/editions are there?
2) Is the print quality high, and has the artist personally supervised the print (including size and production technique)?
3) Is it signed and numbered?
4. Are the regular and special editions still available on the market?
With the above in mind, let us examine the value of the special edition book with prints by Mark Steinmetz that is on display this time.
[The value of Mark Steinmetz's special edition book]
"Past K-Ville" Special Edition by Mark SteinmetzAmerican photographer Mark Steinmetz was born in 1961 and studied photography at Yale University. He is an ultra-orthodox American photographer who once accompanied the master of street photography, Garry Winogrand, as his driver for a year.
He has held many solo and group exhibitions at museums, and his works are stored in various collections. He is also currently publishing many photo books, from major publishers to independent publishers. The prices of his works are not disclosed, so it is unknown, but we can assume that they are probably quite expensive.
Now, let's take a look at the special edition being exhibited this time.
1) How many copies/editions are there?
The number of copies issued is limited to 50. Steinmetz has previously published a limited edition of 500 prints, so 50 copies is a very small special edition. Considering that only 50 people in the world can own one, it is quite rare and valuable.
2) Is the print quality high, and is the artist himself supervising the printing?
The publisher's website reveals that although it is not hand-printed, it is a high-quality print produced by a reliable printer, and the size is 230 x 162 mm, which is not a bad size.
3) Is it signed and numbered?
Each one is signed and serial numbered.
4. Are the regular and special editions still available on the market?
Both the regular and special editions of this work are already out of print, and the regular edition is priced at about 80,000 yen by the publisher, and in some places it is priced at over 200,000 yen. The special edition is not for sale anywhere. At this point, you can see that 100,000 yen for a set of framed print and book is an incredible price. The print is actually 10,000 to 20,000 yen. It will probably sell even if you raise the price even more.
Let me summarize the information.
・This artist is a leading figure in the history of American photography.
Regular prints are probably selling for more than double the price.
・The number of copies issued is small, but the value is high.
High quality print and good size
-Signed and numbered by the artist
・Both the regular and special editions are already out of print and highly sought after.
As you can see, 100,000 yen is by no means a high price for this work.
I think if you were to test other collections in the same way, you would get similar results.
Framed print from"Past K-Ville" Special Edition by Mark SteinmetzIf you ask the shop owner if he would normally buy a work that costs 100,000 yen, he would say no. However, the special edition with prints is a chance to purchase a work by an artist you admire together with a collection of works at an affordable price, and it is certainly a rare opportunity for those who are purchasing a work for the first time.
Above all, while a collection of artwork is great, prints that can add impact to the space itself when displayed are also great.
The exhibition will be on until the 30th of this month. We also accept mail orders via email, so please feel free to contact us.
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Special Edition Print Fair
Dates | March 16th, 2024 (Sat), 17th (Sun), 20th (Wednesday, public holiday), 23rd (Sat), 24th (Sun), 25th (Mon), 30th (Sat) *Closed on the 31st (Sun)
Business hours: 11:00-14:00, 15:00-18:00
Venue: IACK 18-3 Takaoka-cho, Kanazawa City, Ishikawa Prefecture, 920-0864
Free admission
Contact: info (at) iack.studio
detail:https://www.iack.online/blogs/news/special-edition-prints-fair
