What do AP and HC mean?

AP stands for 'Artist's Proof'. In the early days of printmaking the first prints of an edition were of a higher quality. Re-using printing plates would gradually wear them down, causing a decline in quality throughout the edition's production. Traditionally, the artists would keep these prints for themselves.

Now that printing technology has advanced the quality of a print is no longer a concern. Each print in a giclée or off-set lithograph edition is identical. Today, Artist's Proofs are exactly the same as numbered copies of the print.

It is arguably more desirable to own an AP. Partly because of tradition, but mainly because there are fewer APs within an edition which heightens their desirability. The number of APs in an edition usually does not surpass more than 10%. Due to this restricted supply, they are usually priced slightly higher than other prints.

(Source: Artsy.net)

HC means 'Hors Commerce' or 'Out of Trade' in English. HCs and APs are very similar. HCs are often set aside from the editioned prints and used as exhibition copies, so that the works being sold were not over-handled or damaged. In the rare occasion that Cook and Becker makes a HC available for sale, we make sure it is a copy in great condition.

Edition numbers

Most prints and products we sell are limited editions, and Cook and Becker does not do reprints or reissues of sold-out limited editions. We might offer a variant of a print or product down the line (such as a smaller or larger size version or one with different colors) if we find that the variant differs enough from the original print run or product.

You can see the edition size of an artwork or product on the artwork's page. Edition sizes can vary from 20 to 50 or even 500 and more. Each of our limited edition prints comes with its own, unique edition number. This means Cook and Becker guarantees the print in your possession is one of a kind.

For a certain period of time after Cook and Becker launches a new print or print collection, it is often possible to select your preferred edition number for that print. For instance, number 12 out of an edition of 150. After a while, the option to choose your preferred edition numbers will be switched off. After that, you will receive the first available edition number when buying an artwork. If you have a special request for an edition number, please contact us.

Warranty on prints

Our giclee prints and screen prints are archival quality. We provide a lifelong quality-guarantee with regards to fading or yellowing on these products:

- Unframed giclee prints and screen prints
- Artworks with a Diasec and Acrylic glass finish
- Fine art prints on metal
- Framed giclee prints and screen prints

On Dibond and Liquid Gloss artworks we offer a 20-year warranty to the original buyer with regards to fading or yellowing. Liquid Gloss is a newer type of material for which we can't yet accurately predict the archival qualities and therefore can't extend a lifetime guarantee.

We do not give a no-fade quality guarantee for our digital prints on paper and posters.

If you feel the quality of your artwork has deteriorated, please contact us via our contact form or call our gallery during business hours:

T. +31 30 310 7290
Available 10:00 - 17:00 (Central European Time)

Exclusivity Guarantee / Reprint Policy

All our fine art prints are created from images that were made digitally or from digital photography. They are not reproductions of a painting or drawing for example. Our Certified Art Giclees™ are therefore often seen as the original physical versions of artworks and we treat them as such. All our Certified Art Giclee™ prints are strictly controlled limited-editions, carefully created by the artist or studio in conjunction with Cook and Becker and our master printer. Cook and Becker B.V. itself will never issue new prints outside the original editions or do reprints. We cannot control how artists or studios might deal with reprints in the future after an edition has been released, but we always try and make arrangements with them about this.

All of Cook and Becker's Certified Art Giclee™ prints are individually created and numbered. They also come with a dated Certificate of Authenticity signed by the master printer and most often signed or marked by the artist or studio.