Open Edition or Limited Edition? How to Choose the Right Print

An open edition print is a reproduction that can be printed without any fixed limit, so it carries no edition size and no individual number. A limited edition, by contrast, is capped at a stated number of prints, each one numbered. Choose an open edition when you simply want to enjoy an image at a modest price, and a limited edition when you want something scarcer to keep and collect.

The key difference: is the print run fixed?

Everything else follows from one question: has the publisher set a maximum number of prints?

• Limited edition. The run is fixed and declared, and each print is numbered, typically in pencil. When the edition sells out, no more are made.

• Open edition. There is no cap. The publisher can carry on printing for as long as people want the image.

Since an open edition can always be reprinted, people rarely buy one with collecting in mind. It is a purchase made for the pleasure of the picture. If you would like the full background on numbering and certificates, our complete guide to collecting limited edition prints covers it.

Giclée does not mean limited

It is easy to assume that a giclée print must be a limited edition. In fact, giclée is a printing method, not an edition type. A giclée can be produced as either.

When an open edition makes sense

A thoughtful gift

An open edition lets you give someone an image that suits their taste while keeping the budget sensible. Our guide to art gifts under £600 has more ideas at different price points.

A first step into art

If you are new to buying art, an open edition is a gentle way to find out what you enjoy living with. Plenty of collectors start this way before moving on to numbered editions. Our beginner tips for art collecting are a good next read.

Rooms that are hard on artwork

Bathrooms, kitchens and bright, sunny spots can be tough on prints over time. A lower-cost open edition is a sensible choice where humidity or strong light is a concern.

Testing a style

Spend some time with an image before committing. If it still delights you months later, you can step up to a limited edition with confidence.

An open edition from our collection

The Summer Days Triptych by Jack Vettriano is a Special Open Edition. It brings together three giclée prints, Green Blue, Pink Saffron and Trailing Toes, all painted in 1993. Each is printed on 300gsm Museum Etching paper with an image size of 25.5 x 21 cm. At the time of writing, the set is listed at £125. For more on Vettriano's editions, our sister site has a page on his limited editions.

When a limited edition is the better choice

If you want a piece to display proudly, keep for years and perhaps pass on one day, a limited edition is usually the right step. Knowing that only a set number exist is part of the appeal. Values can fall as well as rise, so we always suggest buying the image you love first.

Here are some limited editions from different artists in our collection, with prices at the time of writing:

• [Fragile Passion by Leanne Christie](https://www.danemanorfineart.com/product-page/fragile-passion): a limited edition of 75, image size 31 x 31 cm, £195.

• [Towards the Headland by Duncan Palmar RSMA](https://www.danemanorfineart.com/product-page/towards-the-headland): an edition of 100, £180.

• [Where Penguins Dare by Dale Bowen](https://www.danemanorfineart.com/product-page/where-penguins-dare): an edition of 100, £192.

• [Coastal Croft by Nick Potter](https://www.danemanorfineart.com/product-page/coastal-croft): a limited edition giclée in an edition of 100, £288.

As these show, a limited edition does not have to cost a great deal more than an open edition. Fragile Passion, with just 75 prints in the edition, is a lovely example of a collectable piece at an approachable price.

How to make sure you get what you pay for

Open editions are perfectly good prints. The problem only arises when one is priced as if it were something rarer. A few checks will protect you.

• Check the margin. Limited editions carry an individual number. An unnumbered sheet usually means an unlimited run.

• Find out how many were made. Any real limited edition comes with a declared print run, and we list the edition size on every product page.

• Check the certificate. Every piece we sell comes with a Certificate of Authenticity.

• Watch the wording. Terms like "rare" or "limited availability" are not the same as a numbered edition.

• Compare prices sensibly. An unnumbered print at a collector's price is a warning sign.

Frequently asked questions

Will an open edition print hold its value?

Open editions are mainly bought for enjoyment. As more can always be printed, they seldom keep their value the way a limited edition might.

Are open edition prints signed?

Often not, so check the product description. A signature reproduced within the printed image is different from one added in pencil by the artist.

Are all giclée prints limited editions?

Not at all. The word giclée refers to how a print is produced. The Summer Days Triptych, for example, is a giclée Special Open Edition.

Is it worth framing an open edition?

Certainly. Good framing lifts any print, whatever its edition, and framing options vary by piece.

Choosing the right print for you

If you want a beautiful image at a gentle price, the Summer Days Triptych is a lovely place to start. If you are ready for something collectable, Leanne Christie's Fragile Passion offers a small edition of 75 at an approachable price. Every piece ships with a Certificate of Authenticity and fully insured delivery, in the UK and internationally.