JOIN JANE CONTINUING TO MAKE SENSE OF ART
Most limited edition prints will have a number arranged like a fraction at the bottom for example, 21/100. This means that this print is number 21 from a run of 100. The lower the bottom number the better!
However there is a possibility that you may find a print with letters instead of numbers – and it is good to know what they mean!
AP – Artist’s Proof. This is a working trial for the artist. There can only be up to 10% of the edition as APs- therefore they are more desirable and so a higher price.
BAT – Final Proof. From the French expression ‘ban a tirer’ meaning good for printing. This unique print is usually kept by the printer.
PP – Printer’s Proof. This is given to the printer by the artist as a thank you. PPs and BATs are much rarer than APs so more valuable.
HC – Hors Commerce (Out of Trade). This is given as a gift to the artist from the printer. These are very rare.
E/V – Edition Variable. These prints use a common plate but then the artist adds unique elements to each print – therefore each print becomes a unique print.
Not many prints contain as much information as this sheet on the back of a print shown above. You can see that the number of APs is indeed less than 10% of the edition and the PPs were only 5. It also gives us an idea of the lithograph process – 12 plates were used with 12 colours. And importantly it states that ‘the plates or screens were defaced after printing’ – so there can never be any more.