Home › Forums › Identification: What is this thing? › Ruth Leaf Etching Print – how to price
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07/11/2018 at 3:14 pm #45157
I was given some art by a friend of my parents. Before I did any research, this one piece looked to me like a print engraving based on how it looked and based on information that Mike in Atlanta has explained in the past.
It is marked Field And Trees, 87/150, Ruth Leaf:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/183320446960
I found that Ruth Leaf is actually a known artist that did much of her work as etchings (not engravings), so I listed it as such.
I priced it at $369 or best offer. I was able to find some of her works in Worthpoint, but not exactly this one. Can someone look up some prices for me to see if I have under or over estimated it? Here are a few:
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/province-landscape-color-etching-1896774296
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mid-century-abstract-etching-tree-1735625132
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/mid-century-abstract-etching-tree-1735625132These are all smaller than the one I have and some aren’t framed, but maybe it will give me a better idea of what I have.
Any other feedback is appreciated as well!
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07/11/2018 at 4:17 pm #45165
Sharyn:
first one: $95 for this artist proof
second and third link are the same link: $129.99 signed and numbered
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07/11/2018 at 4:21 pm #45166
Hi Sharyn.. Ok got some data / info for you.
First and shortest; The WP sold prices on the ones you had links for. One is $95 and the 2nd is $129.99, the third is a duplicate of the 2nd.
Ok, next some short comparison which may shed light on price diferentials> The first is an “AP” which is an “Artist’s Proof”. That means the final etching [details] or ink color, or inking and plate wipings final look has not been finalized. These can also be referred to a “staged” plates [prints] but usually when an artist gets to a point where they want to see a print done in color, on the correct paper and under the correct press pressure, they pull a “proof” to sort of see where they are at, and make a decision if they want to keep working on the print or not and things like that.
There can be many proofs pulled, and at times as many as that are in an edition. as a paid, professional Master Printer, I would always destroy most of the artists proofs, some being my own of the other artists work [artists paid me to print their artwork] so I could evaluate the press conditions, most of which the artist themselves could not evaluate. That being said unless the artist directly told me not to and I wrote that into the commission contract, I would destroy all the proofs in the presence of the artist and have them sign the contract stating they witnessed it.
But many artist will and do save their proofs. Some times they asked if I wanted them and of course I would say yes, many of those are much rarer because they are one of a kind. Other times I asked for 10 artists proofs to be given to me as a partial payment for the work I did. Those will be some of the prints we will be listing in the coming months.
Once the final proof is pulled and the artist agrees that is right where they want it, that then becomes the Bon a’ tirer meaning final and the standard. That Bon a’ tirer then becaomes what me and my staff were required to follow as we proceeded to print to complete run. My job as a master printer was to match that final proof as close as possible, without deviation if possible, throughout the whole run / edtion, usually 50 to 500 prints depending on the contract.
Can a proof be as valuable as a print from the run? usualy not because many artist won’t sign the proofs or they just initial them. I would sign, date and time it so I could keep track of the artists changes they were making. So much for the $95 print.
Now the next, it is a 26×25 print and is the 31st print out of 35. This is a very short edition. Makes then much rarer and more valuable depending on the artists reputation and market place value, regional, local or national, etc.
Couple of observations for yours. Your print is larger and if u use an industry rule of thumb that all work done by an artist within the same time frame [year or so], you can some times MAYBE apply the square inch rule, but hard to say when framed. But this print went for $.198 per square inch. That is low. Pricing prints is for another day and topic.
Your piece was definitely run through an etching styled, hand cranked press, thus the deep plate embedded / indentation into the paper. The fact, though I can’t see it in your photos, you say you can see the 3-d relief effect to the “line work”, if this is so, that indicates the plate was “inked in the intaglio” manner. [Ink pushed down into the etched lines] and then released by pressure onto the paper as it was cranked through the press. BUT.. I also think I see some solid, transparent areas that may be an indicator that on subsequent passes through the press, that some areas may have been inked by brayer, roller ohand applied to the flat upper areas of the plate,. This is called “relief” inking. But can’t be sure unless I can see the print first hand up close.
Some suggestions, Always use these terms in title and/or description if they are present. The method of inking, “Pencil” signed, Pencil numbered, and of course state the title, artist and dates if present. This validates it was a hand done print. If there are two signatures, one printed in the plate along with the image and then another signed in pencil in the margins outside the image area, start deducting in valu, as this is then just a photo mechanical reproduction of a work ususally done in another medium, photo copied and printed on high speed offset litho presses in large quantities. Meaning limited to everybody who wants one LOL :-). Think Danbury Mint Collectibles and the such, Thomas Kinkade, etc., etc. And no I am not going to fight over me mentioning Thomas Kinkade. Again another story for another time.
So hopefully this will help not only on these but add more info. to your fine art print database of knowledge.
Man, haven’t had the chance to do some artsy talk in a long while.
Mike at MDC Galleries and Fine Art in Atlanta
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07/11/2018 at 5:44 pm #45176
Thank-you My Cottage & Mike. I had a feeling that my price was high, but I figured I’d start out there and see what the Worthpoint prices were.
I understand the use of an artist proof. I assumed that they were of less value, but maybe it depends on the artist and situation.
I added in pencil signed and intaglio to the title and reduced the price to $189 or best offer.
In the biography of the artist, it said that she wrote a book titled Etching, Engraving and Other Intaglio Printmaking Techniques in the 70s that is still in use. Her primary technique was in etchings, so I think this piece is likely to be one. Although, I can see what you are saying – for instance, the tree trunks inside the outlines may have been colored in using a different method.
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07/11/2018 at 6:24 pm #45182
Yep.. But don’t forget you have a nice frame that has value just by itself even without a print inside.
It is an etching [I believe] the solid areas I belive is the same plate only inked on the high, flat spots instead of ink pushed dwon into the groves then the surfaces wiped clean. So same plate, just inked two different ways and run through the press again onced the flat, high areas were inked.
Still about $200 is a good price and the glass and frame. Be careful on shipping it. see some other posts in SL on print shipping, mine included.
Take care and TTFN …. Mike
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