Paul Insect • The Reflection, Observer , by jimmyjam on Jan 14, 2021 21:55:26 GMT 1, This is becoming the norm so these print houses can control and manipulate prices for a couple years. They don’t want items being sold for less or close to retail a month later after release. Again, this will only bring down the entire market later on. This is only my guess.

The print market has boomed in recent years and now galleries want to control the prices like originals have been done for years. They should just hold the COAs for a couple year not try and fix prices is my opinion.

Banksy is the only one who is doing it right. Very few releases every couple of years and a wait on COAs. He’s not threatening any or asking auction houses to take down prints if he doesn’t like the results.

Also, unless you sign an actual contract like major galleries do with originals then these legal statements really don’t mean much but to scare someone from selling it if the gallery sees the print at auction and doesn’t reach prices the artist or gallery likes. They can scare auction houses and sellers to pull piece that lack results. This also allows galleries and print houses to release some of the prints at auction and ghost bid them and set a fake price. While everyone cannot and they control the value. This type of business will only work out in the short term. No one wants to be stuck with 5-10k pieces they can’t get rid for years.

I get this type of business model for originals but for prints.... it’s just ridiculous. I have started to stay away from prints due to so many being released all the time and these new bs rules. It’ll be interesting how the print market goes from here. Pace and Heni who have famous artist that have artists with strong markets don’t need to do this bs.