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  Alan Bean's signed art prints and giclees

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Author Topic:   Alan Bean's signed art prints and giclees
Skythings
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Posts: 243
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Registered: Jun 2014

posted 01-30-2016 02:50 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skythings   Click Here to Email Skythings     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I am assisting a local lady in Calgary, Canada selling her late husband's extensive model collection. Just yesterday afternoon while reviewing her packed garage we discovered a large water stained flat box containing three undamaged gorgeous professionally framed Alan Bean giclees. We rescued them and I am on a mission to help her sell these and many other treasures (more to come later as I get things organized).

I have always admired Alan Bean's work and to be honest, this is the first time I have ever observed his actual size reproductions in person. When I noticed the COAs on the backs of the frames, I realized the importance of this artwork.

My question is — are these signed? Any signed giclees I own from other artists, are typically signed in pencil on the white edge of the matting along with the number sequence, or boldly in sharpie on the giclee itself.

The only signatures I can see are what I figured where on the original painting. What confuses me is one signature shows the numbering sequence by his signature right on the giclees.

Can someone enlighten or educate me on these prints? I know online they show as sold out limited editions dating back to 1987-1998 and 1999 and are printed giclee, not giclee on canvas. Any further help is very appreciated.

Once I have some solid knowledge on these and understand a fair market value, then these will be for sale. This great lady is selling her recently passed husbands cherished space and aviation collection to fund her kids special activities. Her boy is going to Scotland next summer with his Scout Troop, so I really want to do everything I can for her.

I have posted pictures on my photo bucket. My pictures were rushed and are not very good and do not reflect the quality of this artwork, but they do show each print.

Robert Pearlman
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Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999

posted 01-30-2016 05:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Robert Pearlman   Click Here to Email Robert Pearlman     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
These are, I believe, lithographs rather than giclees.

"Helping Hands" was Bean's first print published in 1987. Bean signed and numbered each of the 850 prints in pencil in the lower right corner.

It's hard to see in your photo, but as in this example, Bean's inscription is above the signature reproduced as part of the original painting.

"Moon Rovers" is also described as a lithograph print, signed and numbered (out of 550) in pencil, as is "Homeward Bound" (also out of 550).

Skythings
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posted 01-30-2016 10:28 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skythings   Click Here to Email Skythings     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
This information is golden. Thank you Robert. I don't have the lithographs with me right now, but I was able to enlarge the images I do have. I now can see the the signatures. It appears they are all signed. That is great news.

Moon Rovers - I can now see the signature in pencil which is on the opposite side from the original signature on the original painting along the bottom.

Helping Hands - Difficult to see- but it is there.

Homeward Bound

Having just Googled the difference between a lithograph and a giclee — is there any difference in the general value of the art between the two methods?

My next obvious question is what would we value these at today?

MarylandSpace
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posted 01-30-2016 11:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for MarylandSpace   Click Here to Email MarylandSpace     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
What a wonderful find. So beautifully framed and framing is expensive.

Skythings
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posted 01-30-2016 01:41 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skythings   Click Here to Email Skythings     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
You are correct, however this is another challenge. I will be selling these for her and because they are framed I figure it could be prohibitively expensive for the shipping weight/size and of course there is the risk of breaking glass to any buyer.

Any ideas for shipping framed art?

jtheoret
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Posts: 344
From: Albuquerque, NM USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 01-30-2016 04:10 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jtheoret   Click Here to Email jtheoret     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
A place like the UPS will pack and ship it for you, but its fairly expensive (I think the last time I did it was $80-$100 or so). It is less hassle for you as the seller/shipper, but obviously will increase costs for the buyer.

jtheoret
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Posts: 344
From: Albuquerque, NM USA
Registered: Jul 2003

posted 01-30-2016 04:24 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for jtheoret   Click Here to Email jtheoret     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
To answer your other question about value, that is more difficult to figure out with the framing. I've found buyers rarely are willing to pay the value of the framing much beyond the value of the print.

So the Moon Rovers print is still available at $215 and a nice framing job for prints like that could run $300-$400. However, its unlikely you could get much beyond the value of the print itself when you sell a framed item like that. So while it would cost someone at least $500 to buy the print new and get it framed, it's unlikely you could sell it framed for that much.

The Homeward Bound and Helping Hands prints are sold out though, so you can certainly get a lot more than their list prices (you can check out Greenwich Workshop to see what they originally listed for I think). I sold a unframed Helping Hands a year ago for $400 here. Search the cS archives here to get an idea of what some other sold for.

moonguyron
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Posts: 191
From: Trinity, FL USA
Registered: Jan 2011

posted 01-30-2016 06:36 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for moonguyron   Click Here to Email moonguyron     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Just a suggestion on shipping. I have sold and shipped a couple of very rare framed items in the last couple of months. Once sold I have a place like Hobby Lobby disassemble the frame and remove the glass. I have them reattach the piece in the frame, then sandwich frame and all between two oversized pieces of foam board. Only then do I take it to UPS where it is bubble wrapped and sandwiched again in cardboard. Finally Styrofoam corners are added and the whole affair boxed in a double cardboard sided box. And don't forget the insurance just in case.

Wehaveliftoff
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posted 01-31-2016 02:12 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Wehaveliftoff     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Don't undervalue worth. If they can afford the prints they CAN afford that added shipping too, great idea on awesome shipping methods to protect frame, glass, etc.

fredtrav
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From: Birmingham AL
Registered: Aug 2010

posted 01-31-2016 03:39 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for fredtrav   Click Here to Email fredtrav     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
For shipping, take the piece to a UPS or FedEx store and have them give you a quote on the packing and shipping. That way you can accurately give a shipping quote to a buyer. If they do the packing, I think they guarantee it arrives there safe. They know what they are doing so they will package it well.

Skythings
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Registered: Jun 2014

posted 01-31-2016 06:58 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skythings   Click Here to Email Skythings     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Thank you everyone for all of the great advice on the shipping. It is appreciated. I have also found some great YouTube videos from FedEx on the subject.

There is some strong interest in these already and everyone seems to understand the challenges and expense of shipping framed artwork.

Skythings
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Posts: 243
From:
Registered: Jun 2014

posted 02-02-2016 08:08 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Skythings   Click Here to Email Skythings     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
I had someone contact me asking to purchase one of these prints from this posting and I thought I would pass on what I learned today about shipping one of these large framed lithos.

I am in Canada and the UPS store charges $46.36 converted to USD to professionally pack the framed print with the glass intact. Insurance is $3.00 per $100.00 value in addition to packing. That's not too bad.

The Canadian shipping was insane $172.72 converted to USD to the USA by UPS ground.

I suggested the buyer call UPS in the USA and ask to have it picked up in Canada and delivered back to him in the USA. His UPS quote to ship from Canada to the USA - $98.00 USD. I'm going to have UPS Canada pack it and then he will have UPS USA arrange the pick up for $75.00 less. I will fill out the Customs Forms for him and and meet the UPS driver with the UPS packed box outside the UPS store in Canada.

Keep that in mind if you ever have to ship from overseas or Canada folks. It might save you some money.

Jonnyed
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Posts: 396
From: Dumfries, VA, USA
Registered: Aug 2014

posted 02-05-2016 08:13 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Jonnyed   Click Here to Email Jonnyed     Edit/Delete Message   Reply w/Quote
Really tastefully framed prints.

Surprised they weren't on a wall in the house and were instead tucked away (adrift?!) in the garage.

Then again, which of us collectors doesn't sometimes get too ambitious with our collecting and overshoot our available display space!

All times are CT (US)

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