Journal
How Limited Edition Photography Prints Work
A limited edition photograph is one that will only ever be printed a set number of times. When the edition sells through, it is never printed again. Here is exactly how that works at The Art of Travels, so you can compare it with anywhere else you are looking.
Edition sizes
Every photograph here is a limited edition. Nothing is open, and nothing is printed indefinitely.
- Editions of 250: most photographs are capped at 250 prints across every size and finish there is.
- Collector Series, editions of 100: fewer than half as many prints will ever exist, and they are priced and labelled that way from the day they open. The Rapa Nui photographs are a Collector Series.
When an edition sells through, that photograph is retired for good. No reissue, no anniversary run.
Signed, numbered and certified
Each print is signed and numbered by hand where you can see it, so you know which one of the 250 (or the 100) is yours. It comes with a signed certificate that travels with it, recording the edition number, title, dimensions, finish and the date it was made.
How the price changes as an edition sells
The price rises as an edition sells, on a schedule published in advance:
- Editions of 250: +25% when fewer than 100 remain, +50% when fewer than 50 remain, +100% when fewer than 25 remain.
- Collector Series (editions of 100): +50% when fewer than 50 remain, +100% when fewer than 25 remain.
The same moment that changes the price is the moment the piece starts showing how many are left, so a rise is never something you find out about afterwards. Everyone who already owns a piece is carried up with it.
What I will not do is describe art as an investment. The secondary market for photography is thin, and anyone promising you a return is selling something other than a photograph. Buy it because you want to look at it every day for twenty years.
Made to order, not held in stock
Nothing is warehoused. Your print is made for you, at your size and in your finish, and signed into the edition the day it is printed. That is what makes it worth owning, and it is also why prints cannot be returned. If it arrives damaged, I replace it.
What to check before you buy any limited edition
- How big is the edition, and does it cover every size? A cap that applies per size can mean many more prints exist than the number suggests. Here the cap covers every size and finish combined.
- Is it signed and numbered, with a certificate?
- What happens when it sells out? It should never be reprinted.
- Is the pricing schedule published? You should be able to see the cost of waiting rather than guess at it.
- Will it fit the wall? Use On Your Wall to see it at true scale first.
Questions about a particular piece are always welcome at Justin@theartoftravels.net. The full details, including payment over time and shipping, are on the Collecting & FAQ page.
