What is a “Limited Edition” anyway?

So, you keep coming across this term “Limited Edition” but don’t really understand what it means. Join the club. Those patrons who purchase “Limited Edition” art tend to socialize in small, exclusive circles. So to broaden the horizon a bit, I’ll share with you my thoughts from an artist’s point of view.

Please don’t groan, but with your indulgence I’ll use a metaphor. Context is everything, so allow me to say “a picture is worth a thousand words”. Yep, I said it. So here’s the picture. Have you ever found yourself shopping for a gemstone? Perhaps it was to commemorate a speacial, once-in-a-lifetime event like an engagement or a marriage. You likely found that process to be a bit of an education, yes? You certainly did not want to make an expensive mistake simply by not knowing your way around things like carats and cut styles, clarity and color ratings, etc. But by the time you were ready to make your selection, you may have been quietly thinking “why is this little thing so expensive? Its only a stone, afterall”. Am I right? The not-so-simply answer lies, in part, is those attributes I just mentioned. It’s value lies in numerous factors, not least of which is it’s overall rarity. There are only a finite number of these stones in existence. The process of harvesting them, preparing them, refining them, and finally, presenting them to you to assess whether one is worthy of your purpose in giving it, all go into the determination of just how valuable it actually is. In the end, the rarer a thing is, the fewer of them are available. The harder the process of bringing it to you, the more you will have to pay to purchase it.

Now, allow me to share my perspective on “Limited Edition” fine art. An artist spends a lifetime seeking the inspiration to create. It literally emerges from his or her soul to begin a metamorphosis into a physical expression. This truth applies whether it’s a scultor creating a marble statue, a painter creating a canvas masterpiece, or a photographic artist traveling the world’s streets and streams seeking the perfect composition. It has been said that the creation of art is never finished, it is abandoned. Artists are perfectionists, and, to them, their works are never perfect enough. Each artist exhausts themselves emotionally, mentally and physically, in the ever-chase in vain trying to complete a piece. Then, he or she just leans back, sighs in resignation, and says “enough, I’m done”. Among the many works each artist produces over their lifetime, most are sent into the world with the hope they will be enjoyed by as many people as will choose to look. “Come and see” is the heart-cry of the artist. However, among their life’s catalog, there emerges a select and rare group of pieces which seem different. Those which he or she would call their most precious pieces. They, somehow, seem set apart into a different category requiring a different audience and presentation. Unlike the larger collection of art with the much wider exposure, these rare “gem” pieces are ascribed a much higher value by the heart of the artist. The former are typically called “Open Edition” meaning they have no set limitations on their reproduction or distribution. The more the merrier. However, those special, rare pieces, are deliberately given a small and specific “series” limitation to protect their rarity and ensure their lasting and increasing value for those who choose to own them. These are called “Limited Editions” and are assigned by the creating artists a finite series, let’s say 50, for example. This means each piece will be limited to a reproduction of a mere 50 in perpetuity. Once sold out, no more will ever be made. Each of the individual fifty editions contained in a series is registered with a recognized Fine Art Registry. This governing authority assigns a unique number which is placed on twin security seals. The first is placed on the art itself, and it’s twin afixed on the COA, or Certificate of Authenticity. The COA is also crimped with a seal from the artist the same way a legal document is notorized. Lastly, included with this packet of paperwork is an insurance valuation form. Like any other high-value purchase or investment, such as those precious gems we discussed, this form authenticates the value of the item with an insurance agency.

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So, to sum up this not-so-brief explanation, which is, by no means, exhaustive on the topic, choosing to purchase a “Limited Edition” art piece is choosing to invest in an inherantly rare, high-value item with the authentication legitimizing it. We truly hope that your choice to purchase one of our “Limited Edition” works is one of joy to be treasured for a lifetime. But we also hope that you are inspired to invest in it with the confidence of knowing the real value in it. Thank you for reading!