Art Terms Decoded: What does "Stoned Signed" or "Plate Signed" Mean?

Andy Warhol "Marilyn Monroe Castelli Invitation" signed in felt pen.

 

As you begin to delve deeper into the world of fine art collecting you will find that one of the most important indicators of value and potential worth is the artist's signature. Some might even say that this is the most important aspect of an artwork that makes it a desirable luxury commodity.

The reasoning behind the incredible value of the artist's signature above all else, is that a signature is the easiest way to determine the authenticity of a work of art. Many have tried to fake the signature of the great master artists throughout time and sometimes people are fooled - but often expert art dealers, gallerists, curators and appraisers are able to catch a fraudulent mark. A fake signature automatically calls in question the authenticity of the work itself whether it is a painting or original
print.

 



Picasso "Le Vieux Roi" hand-signed in Blue

Picasso "Le Vieux Roi" Plate Signed in Red



From a pure collectorship stand point a hand-signed artwork is going to be the most valuable investment. That is not to say that an unsigned artwork does not have value, it just means the MOST valuable artworks are hand-signed ones.

 

Picasso "Ronde de la Jeunesse" Signed in the Stone

So this brings us to our term "Plate Signed" sometimes also known as "Stone Signed". A plate signed work is specifically referring to an original print or graphic on paper with a printed signature. This is precisely what it sounds like; a plate signature is a signature that is part of the composition and is printed along with the art image. As an example scenario: Pablo Picasso draws an etching composition onto a metal plate - he then signs the plate and dates it - the plate is inked and pressed onto paper and along with his etching Picasso's signature is printed. This would be a "plate signed" original etching.

 

The term "stone signed" is exactly the same but specifically references the stone slabs that might have been used to create an original lithograph. Sometimes artist catalogue raisonnes reference that an edition is "sign in the stone," which is also the same. 

 

The most important take-away in terms of collecting a plate or stoned signed artwork is that it is not equivalent to a hand-signed work and should be valued as such.

 

You can see more of our hand-signed, plate signed, and stoned signed original prints on our website:

www.denisbloch.com

IS ART A GOOD INVESTMENT?



There are a number of indicators that prove that Fine Art, carefully selected, can be a lucrative commodity investment. Art is one of the most enticing hard asset investments, as collectors have created a hefty supply and demand system throughout the years.

According to Michael Moses, a retired New York University business school professor who co-

Marc Chagall

created the Mei Moses World All Art Index, over the past 60 years, the total return on fine art has been very similar to the return on the S&P 500-stock index. "If you use the last 30 years, the S&P substantially outperforms art," Moses says. "If you look at the most recent eight [to] 10 years, art has outperformed the S&P."

Another reason to consider investing in Art is that Fine Art has a proven track record as a good choice during hard times. Fine Art is more or less resilient to times of economic turmoil and trouble. It has outperformed during all of the wars of the 20th century, and has outperformed during the last 27 recessions. One of the biggest draws to this asset class is the fact that there is no underlying financial market to tinker with prices. There will never be a bad trade or a flash crash that will suddenly erase the value of your art investment. Though it is not a guarantee, Art also has the potential to appreciate with time.

The last and perhaps most rewarding aspect of collecting Fine Art are the emotional and aesthetic rewards. Because Art is a physical asset class, your investment is something that you can potentially enjoy every day.


COLLECTING THE RIGHT ARTIST

The greatest draw back to investing in fine art is the relative unpredictability of the performance an artist’s body of work might have. Like other markets there are artists and artworks that are highly unlikely to retain or develop future value, and so it is very important as a beginning collector to be highly selective of the artists you collect. The best advice is that you select artists with established markets. A blue-chip artist would have a major following, specifically by academic and museum interest. The Artist is your best indicator for potential value.

Pablo Picasso

Normally a museum artist like Picasso, Warhol, or Hockney would be out of range for the average
collector, but through the limited edition prints market you can attain these artists for a few thousand dollars as opposed to a few million. Many collectors and art dealers will tell you that originals will always perform better than prints, and this is half true. The original paintings for Pablo Picasso or Damien Hirst will always outperform the graphic artworks for these artists certainly, and if you have the capital to invest in high-level paintings of Museum Masters, I strongly recommend that this is the market you seek. However, an original painting by an immerging and unknown artist vs. an establish master’s print will not necessarily hold value or outperform the print. The performance of an original painting depends heavily on the current market and demand for the artist.

COLLECTING THE RIGHT PIECE

Aside from the Artist, other excellent indicators of future potential rest on the work itself. It is true that some compositions are simply more aesthetic than others. Some artworks may bear iconic images and characteristics of an artist’s specific period or style. It can be beneficial to research an artist’s backstory, as it can have a fair amount of weight in the resale value of a piece. Additionally if you are collecting sculptures or original prints the edition sizes can also play a major factor. When deciding what art to buy, the most important is that you enjoy and appreciate the art.  


 

Why Should We Collect Original Prints?

 Affordability

The first and probably the most obvious reason for us to collect original prints is that they are simply more affordable than other mediums. The affordability also lends itself to better quality and quantity. For the same price as a small painting by an unknown or minor artist, you might be able to collect an important print by a major internationally famous artist such as Picasso, Chagall, Matisse, etc.

Picasso Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City 2010

A Picasso painting recently broke the world record and sold for more than 106 Million dollars, but you could acquire a museum quality Picasso graphic for under $20K.

You get more for your money, and the prospect of owning an original work by a master is more attainable than you realize.

Opportunity to Collect a Museum Quality Master

Picasso Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City 2010

Although just about every significant museum of modern art today acquires prints, one of the best examples of the benefits of print collecting was provided by Norton Simon, the industrialist and founder of his eponymous museum, who hoarded Picasso prints like they were going out of style. He acquired 710 Picasso prints but only five Picasso paintings. Clearly, he didn’t do it because, unlike many print collectors, they were the only Picassos he could afford, but rather because the print medium, especially in the hands of Picasso, the greatest print innovator of all time, gave rise to unique and breathtakingly beautiful artistic expressions.

Availability

Picasso Exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City 2010

It is also good to note that because the original print medium is a medium of limited editions, the availability of these master prints is much better, although many popular or exceptional editions can be increasingly difficult to come by.