Investing in Fine Art Prints is not at all a new concept, In fact art collectors world over have been investing in fine art prints of various types for a long time and with a great deal of success.
A Fine Art Print being a Multiple Original is priced much lower than a Singular Original work of art hence making it more accessible and in turn easier to invest in as well as increasing its resale prospects in the secondary market by appealing to a wider art lover segment due to its attractive price point.
However as with any other form of Investment there are certain parameters that need to be kept in mind while parking one's funds in Fine Art Prints with an investment perspective and for them to be considered as ‘Investible'.
These basic parameters may be elaborated as mentioned below:
- The Fine Art Print should either be a Serigraph, Lithograph, Woodcut, Linocut or a certain type of Intaglio such as an Etching, Engraving, Drypoint, Aquatint or Mezzotint, As only these kinds of prints are considered and accepted as Fine Art Prints.
- The Fine Art Print should be from a strictly monitored ‘Limited Edition'.
- The Limited Edition Fine Art Print under acquisition should be Signed and Numbered by the Artist.
- The Fine Art Print should be of good quality in terms of image and printing and the paper used should be of archival quality.
- The condition of the Fine Art Print under acquisition should be thoroughly examined and made sure to be free of any ‘Foxing' marks or any fungus and any crease marks or any other stains as these tend to devalue the print considerably.
- Finally one must make sure to obtain a ‘Certificate of Authenticity' from either the Artist or the Publisher of the Print or a reputable gallery from where the Print has been purchased.
Once the parameters are understood and kept in mind while acquiring a Fine Art Print your Investment is secure but the key to any good Investment is a high return on initial capital input, Maximizing your returns in Fine Art Prints is another story altogether.
In order to maximize returns in Fine Art Prints one needs to think with their mind as well as heart which means as a hybrid between an art collector and an investor and act in a manner as such….
- Primarily one should bear in mind that in the case of Limited Edition Fine Art Prints the prices go higher as the prints become rarer and this point should be leveraged to buy into an edition early as the price tends to firm up with the progressive sale of the Edition. In certain cases the publishers or distributors also increase the prices with progressive sales.
- One should also consider buying more than one print of a particular image if it is a good quality work as these would always be in demand with collectors.
- The Fine Art Print should be of an Artist who is considered as an important high caliber artist and has an established collector base or of an Artist who has a promising future and is widely accepted amongst the collector community.
- The Fine Art Print should preferably be of an artist whose works of good quality are in high demand and short supply in the secondary market.
- Even though the objective is to invest in the Fine Art Print one should try and select an image that is easy to live with and would like to hold on to for a while as this tends to indirectly raise the price by making you unlikely to sell soon and at lower prices thereby getting you a higher return in the longer term.
- Care and Conservation of the Fine Art Print is important as one can fetch premium prices only for pristine condition prints, hence proper handling and care against fungus, sunlight etc. during ‘Hold' period of the Fine Art Print and ensuring proper framing by a reputed framer using only acid free materials is very essential.
With the above pointers borne in mind one is set to become a successful ‘Investor' in Fine Art Prints and ready to unlock huge profits while enjoying the visual delight afforded by collecting high quality works of art.
Happy Investing!
