Signed and Numbered validity.

[urbanrobot]

I was selling posters at an event this weekend and everyone was asking me, "why arent they signed and numbered" So I pulled out a pencil and did exactly that. The difference in sales was staggering. People were coming up to the table, immediately focusing on the lower right hand corner of the poster to ensure that it was indeed, signed and numbered, and thats pretty much all they needed to feel that the purchase was worth it.

has anyone experienced this? Is there any validity question around this ever? how does anyone know that I didnt make 3 copies of each number?

[crosshair]

What's there to understand?
You can argue in circles forever about whether there any real validity conveyed by writing a number on a print and signing it.
It's irrelevant, because as your experience demonstrated there is huge difference in perceived validity, as evidenced by sales.
So, sign and number, huh?

[Zach Hobbs]

never!

[crosshair]

...Or you can make a grand proletarian anti-commodification gesture and refuse to sign and number anything, on principle.
Of course then you should be giving the prints away; to each according to their need, from you according to your ability.

[lil_tuffy]

I'm so tired of Dan and his class warfare rhetoric.

[crosshair]

I will bury you.

*bangs shoe on podium*

[Andymac]

uh....it's the difference between a poster and a 'limited edition art print'. People buy art. they steal posters?

and if you did make 3 copies of each number, you'd be a dishonest artist. the word would get around.

[urbanrobot]

I'm so tired of Dan and his class warfare rhetoric.

ha no actually I like it.


I guess the thing that people are buying into is that there is a finite amount and that they're getting something collectable. If they're not signed and numbered, I guess that feels cheaper and that there is an undefined number of these, that I can keep printing until the demand runs out? i dunno.

[urbanrobot]

uh....it's the difference between a poster and a 'limited edition art print'. People buy art. they steal posters?

and if you did make 3 copies of each number, you'd be a dishonest artist. the word would get around.

... and being a dishonest artist is the only assurance that the buyer has that Im not doing something kinda crooked
ok, thats what I was asking.

[danstiles]

welcome to the murky waters of multiple editions, reprints, artist proofs, variants, blah blah blah