The number is part of the work
When an author decides that thirty copies of an image will exist, that thirty becomes a property of the work as much as the subject is. It is written on the piece, usually in pencil beside the signature: 7/30 is the seventh copy of thirty.
Limited edition, open edition, reproduction
- Limited edition: number of copies decided in advance and declared. Every copy is numbered. Once the edition sells out, the author does not produce more at the same size in the same technique.
- Open edition: printed on demand, no limit. Often signed, not numbered. Costs less and is worth less, which is correct: it is less rare.
- Reproduction: a printed copy of an existing work, typically unsigned and unnumbered. It is a poster, and the price should say so.
None of the three is dishonest. It becomes dishonest to call something "limited" that is open, or to sell a reproduction at the price of an artist print.
The abbreviations you will meet
- A.P. (artist's proof): copies outside the numbering that the author keeps, usually few.
- E.A. (épreuve d'artiste): the same thing in French.
- H.C. (hors commerce): copies not intended for sale.
An edition with more proofs than numbered copies is a signal something is off: proofs should be a small fraction of the total.
