About Your Harper Serigraph Prints....
by Terry Wright, with acknowledgement to Rena Hopkins
Charley Harper’s life work spans nearly six decades, from Ford Times art in the late 1940’s, through the rest of his life (2007). Over that period he produced an immense body of fabulous art, which collectors and art aficionados increasingly value and appreciate. One of the common questions we receive is for information regarding the markings on Charley’s serigraphs, and what they mean. Over the years, Charley annotated his serigraphs with several sets of markings, with various meanings. This article explains those markings. In select cases, the absence of a mark has a meaning!
In general, Charley produced serigraphs (silk screen prints) designating the prints with three or four sets of markings in the lower print margin. These markings indicated the unique print serial number, edition size (i.e., number of prints produced), special portions of the edition set aside for various purposes, the print title (sometimes present) and finally, his signature. If the markings are present (and they aren’t always) they will be in pencil. Some of his early work contained only some or even none of these markings. Please see our article “Ford Times Print States” for an explanation of the markings on those early edition prints.
Beginning in the 1960’s, Charley collaborated with The Framehouse Gallery (and later, Somerset House Publishing and Mill Pond Press) to produce the growing number of serigraph prints needed to meet collector demands. These serigraphs were produced in limited editions, meaning the absolute number of prints produced was strictly limited. This limited distribution is what makes them especially desired as collector’s items. These prints were produced and marked according to three designations:
- Standard Limited Edition
- Artist’s Proofs
- Printer’s Proofs
These designations indicate a portion of the total number of prints produced in a given image. The markings on each print identify the designation for that specific print.
The Standard Limited Edition prints are those with which most collectors are acquainted. They represent the most numerous portion of the print edition. For example, Charley produced serigraphs with standard limited edition runs of 500 to 2500 prints. These prints bear the print serial number and edition size, in the lower left hand corner of the print. The serial number and edition size is always in the format ‘100/1000’, which designates (in this example) the 100th print from a standard limited edition size of 1000 prints. This enumeration is always in Arabic numerals. These prints may (or may not) bear a hand-printed title, centered under the print image. And, they bear Charley’s signature, in the lower right-hand corner of the print, the mark of authenticity.
Figure 1. Standard Limited Edition Print Markings (without title.)
Figure 2. Standard Limited Edition Print Markings (with hand-printed and type-printed title)
Artist’s Proofs are a special portion of the limited edition print run reserved by the artist. In most cases, there were no more than 25 Artist’s Proofs generated for Charley’s use. This portion of the edition was marked and numbered separately from the Standard Edition prints. The markings on these prints are different in two respects from the Standard Limited Edition prints. First, there is a pair of initials (acronym) printed in the lower left hand corner of the print. The initials ‘H.C.’, standing for ‘held copy’, or the initials ‘A.P.’, for ‘artists proof’, will be present for artist’s proofs. Second, the artist’s proof serial number, making each print unique, is always in Roman numerals. Typically, the print edition size is not listed on these prints. As an example, an artist’s proof may be marked ‘H.C. XIV’ (i.e., held copy 14) or ‘A.P. VIII’ (i.e., artists proof 8.) We have also seen the words ‘Artist’s Proof’ completely spelled out in some cases. Artist’s proofs are highly sought after collector’s items and command a premium on the resale market because they can be traced directly back to the artist. They are also much more limited in distribution than the standard limited edition prints (e.g., 25 prints versus 2000 prints.) Artist’s proofs may also contain a hand-printed title, centered under the image. A.P. prints are signed by Charley in the lower right corner.
Figure 3. Artist's Proof Print Designation.
Figure 3. Held Copy Print Designation (same as Artist's Proof)
The final portion of the print run are designated as ‘Printer’s Proofs.’ These prints were also reserved in very small numbers. Ostensibly, these prints were proofs used to verify the print before committing to a large print run (standard edition and artist proof prints.) In many cases, Charley signed these prints and gave them to the printers as a token of appreciation and friendship. These prints will bear no serial number, nor edition size, in the lower left corner or anywhere else on the print. Printer’s proofs may bear a hand-printed title, centered under the image, and Charley signed these prints in the same location as the others (lower right corner.)
Figure 4. Printer's Proof (note lack of serial number designation)
Some of the later prints bear additional marks. These are typically printed in black ink at the time the print was produced. They may include a copyright notice (usually lower left corner), a print title (lower center margin), and/or edition size (lower right margin.)
Figure 5. Copyright notice