Limited edition prints by leading artists usually maintain their initial published value and of course many increase in worth, so it is important to care for them appropriately. The best quality art deserves the best quality materials when it comes to reproduction. Most good quality artists, publishers and printers, use a heavy - weight fine art quality acid-free paper, which costs almost twice as much as most papers used for printing. This type of paper enables the finest possible standard of reproduction. In addition, they should only use the best quality fade-resistant inks. With signed limited edition prints, always ensure the signatures are in pencil, pen ink signatures will fade quite dramatically in a short space of time. Any good art dealer worth their salt should be able to point you in the right direction and advise you on the quality of artwork reproduction.



Art on paper has many enemies and probably the most destructive of these are light, heat and excessive humidity. Light is hard to control because of its everyday presence and it is needed to view and enjoy framed works of art. All light, even a small amount, can affect valuable works of art even if the printers and publishers use the finest quality paper and fade resistant inks. Ultraviolet light rays accelerate fading of art and can even deteriorate the paper itself. Valuable works of art and limited edition prints should never be hung in direct sunlight; even reflected, indirect daylight is a source of highly destructive ultraviolet light. Always use UV- filtered glazing when framing valuable art. The glazing does not offer complete protection, but does significantly minimise ultraviolet damage. The single most important step you can take to protect your valuable framed artwork from harmful UV rays is to specify the use of Conservation Glass. Using a good quality type of this glass can effectively block out a minimum of 98% of all harmful UV rays.

Heat accelerates the deterioration of paper. Valuable works of art and limited editions should never hang above heat sources such as radiators, open fires, or any other heat source. I always advise customers never to hang the artwork near heat sources.

Excessive humidity brings the threat of mould, and is responsible for much of the buckling and warping of fine art paper. Humidity exceeding 70 percent encourages the growth of mould. A humidity of 50 percent is ideal. When hanging and storing valuable art, beware of dampness on outside walls or in cellars and similar locations. Mount and mat spacers help to provide air circulation and reduce the risk of mould. For this reason it is very important that the artwork does not come into contact with the glazing.

Artwork done on paper requires mounting (matting, in the USA). Not only does it create a pleasing balance around the artwork, it protects the art in handling and framing, it also allows air circulation within the frame package and allows the art to move in response to changing atmospheric conditions. When framing limited editions and valuable works of art, all mount (mat) board should be either cotton rag museum board or conservation type. Cotton rag museum board is a solid sheet of compressed cotton fibres, not layers of paper like most mountboards. Conservation board consists of cotton purified wood pulp core, with acid free colour sheets adhered to the face and acid free papers on the back. Contamination from normal acidic mountboard will eventually migrate from the bevel and seep out onto the artwork causing an all over tan colouring of the area. Backing board should also be made from the same type of board as the mountboard (mat). Under no circumstances should any normal tapes or adhesives come into contact with valuable works of art. If any tapes or adhesives are used they should be acid free, water reversible, none staining and strong enough to hold the artwork in place. My preferred method of holding valuable art in place is with archival corner pockets. These are totally acid free and provide a truly reversible attachment and no adhesives come into contact with the artwork.

When handling valuable prints, always take care to avoid bending or kinking the paper. The less handling - the better between leaving the publisher and having the print framed. If you wish to store your limited edition print for a certain length of time, I recommend storing the print flat and away from direct sunlight, avoiding all of the afore mentioned hazards of course. A portfolio would be an excellent location, perhaps between two sheets of acid free tissue paper. Always remember to keep your certificates of authenticity in a safe place, as a future means of provenance. Most importantly of all, always use a qualified professional picture framer to ensure your limited edition prints are mounted properly and never be afraid to question their methods.