Urban Art Association

There is still some profit to be had on the Miller, but it is really only worthwhile if you're one of the first to purchase, outside of the EU and quick enough to apply the discount code. Even then I can't see you making more than 20-25% profit after auction fees are considered.

Tiered releases can be hard to flip. Their tiered nature makes them far less likely to sell out, leaving stragglers around that create a price ceiling. If it doesn't sell out it has essentially been burned and is perceived as less desirable. In order to sell yours you need to offer a worthwhile discount from the cost at source, as does every other seller, causing competition and further preventing the edition from selling out.

Maybe when you kids are older you'll live that VIP life and eat first like Bob does.

If anyone has the funds, forget the print and get a massive original 

The bronze she did was phenomenal. This print looks unfinished. For reference there’s a scarf on paddle 8 that really outshines this print. paddle8.com/work/joyce-pensato/180568-dark-knight-forever/

Doesnt matter, maybe she is "new" for many members in here, then "convincing" is quite natural. People have loved her art for many years. For any art collector it should be an honour to own a signed piece from her.

Shame on you is rather a strong phrase. Is it not better that a third of profits go to charity than nothing? Are you suggesting that they are using a charity connection to increase sales? I can’t see why they would need to in view of the calibre of the artists involved.

Very true. It’s unpleasant, as it puts a buyer under pressure, and these days the lower tiers seem rarely to be available for the average buyer, which can leave a buyer paying a higher tier feeling aggrieved. But that’s the way it’s commonly done, and no one forces anyone to buy.

**advance warning of slight rant**

First up, I have bought from CE before and think they’re great in many respects. I get the points about "only" a third of the profits going to Save the Children, but to that I would say that (i) any effort to raise money, whatever the proportion of sales/profit, is laudable and (ii) Counter still have a new premises, staff etc etc to pay for. A third of profit on 75 portfolios (plus some other prints) at £20-30k each is still going to approach something like £500k.

Personally, I’m very much in two minds about the Emin print (and a lot of the thoughts that follow could be said about all the works offered in the portfolio and CE more generally).

The starting point is that I'm a collector of Tracey's work with a natural tendency to buy her releases, and this is a decent print. I haven't yet decided whether the reclining woman figure is getting a bit repetitive, or whether it is actually becoming something of a trademark motif with a number of successful variations (including the last counter release).

Anyway... I am really hesitating on buying from Counter Editions on this occasion (as I did for the recent "No Surrender" release). The whole process is so off-market and atypical of how the artists would usually sell their work through other channels that it makes me slightly uncomfortable as a genuine collector, and I find myself considering the purchase for the wrong reasons.

Virtually all other galleries making a offering a new release will offer Tracey’ editions (even in lower edition numbers) at a reasonable price that is generally fixed over the life of the edition, which still take weeks or months (or longer) to sell out. For example, White Cube has recently offered a few editions limited to 50 (admittedly 20-30% smaller in paper/image size), at a not dissimilar price to what CE are offering tier one of this print at. I have been in touch multiple times with White Cube to discuss those works, view them in the shop and the price hasn't changed in all that time as far as I'm aware. Yes, the editions do eventually sell out, but there is at least a chance to have a meaningful reflection on whether it's something to add to the collection.

I suppose what I’m trying to say is that if this print were being released through White Cube (or any other gallery) and was not tiered, would I rush to get it? Knowing that this is an edition of 200, I certainly wouldn’t rush. I’d at least take a trip down to the gallery to see it in the flesh, if possible. But with Counter Editions, you HAVE to rush if you want it (or even if you’re only 60% sure you like the piece and don’t want to live with the regret/cost of missing out at an early stage). The £1,625 (or £1,300 with inevitable 20% discount) is a fair price for a Tracey Emin of this size and subject matter, but I hate feeling rushed into buying it. Also, I happen to have a meeting at work today that goes on until 2pm - I don't want to be getting out my iphone and credit card at 2:00:01 just to make sure that I'm paying the right price for an artwork.

I don’t buy to resell or flip (everything I own gets framed and goes up on the wall), but I still struggle with buying at 150-300% times launch price when I had the opportunity to buy at launch. So really, I’ve concluded that Counter Editions, as great as it is, thrives mostly on (i) genuine collectors’ FOMO, rather than a pure desire to own any particular piece and (ii) creating opportunity for flippers. Neither of which are a great reason for buying a work of art priced at four figures (or higher). The fact that I'm not a flipper doesn't make the inevitable price increases a particularly desirable reason to buy either - for instance, I bought one of the Hodgkin prints which has since increase by nearly 3x what I paid, but it's still on the wall giving me the same (not 3x) the amount of pleasure it did when I got it back from the framers. This wasn’t intended to be a moan about Counter Editions (and let’s not forget that this portfolio is a great project that benefits charity).

On reflection, I think I’m likely to give this release a miss and take the time to find another work by Tracey that I really really really want. E.g. one of the Grand Hotels, or something from an edition of 50. Maybe I'll regret passing up this opportunity, but on this occasion I think my buying decision has to be with the head rather than the heart.

Is there a massive version of this going to a Polish Museum? I head something about that but not sure of same piece 

'we hate flipper, so we charge flipper rate and now we are flipper in name of charity'

-Counter Edition

Is the White Cube bronze still available?

We should have all boycotted this release like toughart mentioned. The fact, the gallery and artists are making money off this release is pathetic. They basically used a charity to scam all their fans out of a ton of money.

Why didn’t these artists just donate one original for a auction with 100 percent profits going to the charity? Do they really need to make money off using a charity name! This is ridiculous.

By the way there is a another new Harland Miller coming out very very soon. His career is based off selling prints. Market is down and originals can’t sell so the galleries and artist are using overpriced prints to scam everyone. Be very careful right now with these extreme overpriced hand made posters with signatures and number on it (aka prints). I don’t see these prices lasting for that long or raising too much higher for a long long time.

Its pathetic they are making any money off this release so I won’t touch it at any price. Tier 1 is 15,000. If you use a charity donate all the profits not just some.... especially at their level.

People either got Millers in portfolios or are getting them today. Very few people are on this so called vip list and I doubt all these people who say they got it for less 15,000 actually did.

It didn’t sound like whitecube wanted anything to do with the release either and now I can understand.

Again another Miller coming out very soon.

Portfolio @£32k