cutting prints

[Bob Doyle]

If a customer wants a limited edition print "cut" does that adversely affect the value?

The signature and numbers are not going to be cut, she really wants to show as little white as possible.

BTW it's not a TK. It is actually a very fine le print. I'm opposed to cutting, but I can understand her opinion.

 

[Mike LeCompte CPF]

don't. YOu never know when a LE artist is going to achieve collectible status. Harvey, Doolittle and some others come to mind.

 

[Framing Goddess]

Dang, Bob, you know the answer to this.

If she insists on it, hand her the scissors.

edie the dontdoit goddess

 

[Bob Doyle]

Thanks Edie,

I guess I'm curious as too where the paper starts and the print ends. If I hack off the signature and atg it to the back, that's wrong! but if the artist has 6" of white paper all around the 20 by 24 print where is the paper excessive, and where is the line drawn?

But you're right I really don't want to cut. but... like the other threads of late.... they really insist I shrink the metal frame, reuse the glass from the Marden's special frame "keep" the inner mat, but change the outer one....

 

[Bill Henry-]

I had a collector/dealer of mainly Bev Doolittle prints.

He brought in a matted print that was poorly taped and had me try to remove it. The residue (masking tape, natch) was so gummy that he insisted that I cut off the portion that was still stained. I ended up slicing off a crumby 3/16” from the top.

He found a knowledgeable buyer someplace out west, but when the guy saw that the print was not exactly the same size as it was listed and as he was expecting, he returned it. My guy lost about $1200 on the sale.

 

[Bob Doyle]

OK I told her I would check with some folks I know, ie the Grumble.

Cool, will follow my instincts and NOT cut this Jamie Wyath print. I think there are some colectors out there that would like this one "as is"!

Maybe I should suggest getting an open edition print and cut that.

 

[RoboFramer]

I've had this one, print paper margins.

Isn't it terrible to hinge a print across the face and not from the back.

Isn't it terrible to trim prints to fit a frame.

Well, yes, it is actually, because it is unnecessary as well as bad practice.

What about the 7x5 monoprint though - the ONLY true 'original print' - printed in the centre of a piece of paper 30x24? - just to take it to an extreme.

We are talking about unused paper margins, these margins seem to be less important on ORIGINALS than they do on PRINTS.

Artist has stretched a watercolour paper and left on the gummed tape he used. It's full of acid, are you going to leave it on when there is still enough unpainted area around the image?

Oil on canvas, worth a few hundred thousand - what do you do with the unpainted canvas?
You knock nails through it, that's what!

One of my print publishers that likes to sell their prints mounted but will also sell them unmounted, sends me prints that have obviously been cut or even torn away from the mounting tape,
we're talking prints with almost immediate secondary market value. The publisher is sending me defaced goods.

I think prints, of any sort, should come with a sort of 'outer plate mark' a line drawn or embossed x inches away from the image, easily containing any signatures, remarques, numbers and embossed or printed logos, anything outside this is fair game for abuse.