Print Value
There are a multitude of factors determining the value of a particular print, including most of the aspects explained above.
On the most basic level, whether a print is signed or unsigned is a fundamental indicator of value. Signed prints will be rarer and thus higher in value. Condition plays a huge part, as no collector or gallery is going to invest in a damaged print.
Exhibition and provenance history will also impact price significantly, which is why it’s incredibly important that you obtain documents pertaining to all such information upon purchasing a print. For instance, if you want to sell a Warhol print like Campbell’s Soup and you have evidence of it being previously exhibited at a museum or having been in a noted collection, its value and appeal will increase significantly.
Depending on the artist, the print type and technique will also influence the artwork’s desirability and marketability. In the case of Roy Lichtenstein, his lithographs inspired by comic strips, such as Whaam! or Shipboard Girl are among his most popular works along with his series of woodcuts mentioned above.
Andy Warhol is known as the father of screen prints, and so naturally his most notorious works such as Marilyn Monroe will fetch for a high price.
With someone like Banksy, most of his works are screen prints and all of them have a stable, extremely coveted market. With him it makes more sense to keep an eye on the size of the edition and whether it’s signed or not; Christ With Shopping Bags for instance was released in a small edition of 82 with all works signed, which makes it highly sought-after, whilst Girl with Balloon is his most widely known work and therefore draws considerable attention.
For some artists, a particular series might be most well-known and thus the most attractive investment; the Penguin series of screen prints based on the dust jackets of Penguin classics books would be an example of such for the artist Harland Miller.
If you’re looking for advice on evaluating a print or looking to buy and aren’t sure what you should pay, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at MyArtBroker for expert advice in any area of the contemporary and modern print market.
