Collection: Modern Illustrated Books (20th Century)

Limited editions, suites, prints: what determines value. Twentieth-century illustrated books differ from their predecessors on one decisive point: the print run justification is explicit. The colophon specifies the number of copies, their ranking, and their paper type (Japan, China, Holland) for limited editions. Above this reservation, the so-called limited edition copies include suites: additional plates, sometimes in multiple states, that document the artist's work. The integrity of these suites largely determines the value. We check them one by one.

The nature of the prints is as important as their presence. A signed original lithographdiffers from an offset reproduction, even a high-quality one: the grain of the stone, the ink, and the variations from one copy to another are identifiable upon examination. As members of SLAM, we provide free appraisals for any copy, whether inherited or part of a constituted collection.

A flagship example: Apollinaire's Le Poète assassiné (Au Sans Pareil, 1926), with lithographic illustrations by Raoul Dufy, one of 20 copies on ancient Japan paper enriched with two suites. Here, the justification is precise, the original lithographs and suites are intact. See also Maurice de Guérin's Poèmes en prose illustrated by George Barbier (1928, 150 copies on Rives vellum) and L'usage de la parole (1939-1940, original edition with Man Ray, Max Ernst, and Joan Miró).

Our collection: art book · artist's book · limited edition book

The colophon, at the end of the volume, specifies the rank and paper type. A limited edition copy bears a low number (often 1 to 20 or 1 to 50), a named large paper, and in the best cases, one or more accompanying suites. If the colophon is missing, we can identify the edition: free, no-obligation appraisal.

A suite is a set of additional plates, usually the same compositions in different states or on another paper, accompanying the limited edition copy. It documents the artist's process and increases value. Its integrity is the first point we check.

The Au Sans Pareil edition (1926) includes several print run levels. One of the 20 on ancient Japan paper with its two suites is incomparable to a standard copy. The difference in rank in the justification, plus the integrity of the lithographs and suites, explains the discrepancies.

Yes. KOEGUI, a member of SLAM, offers free appraisals. Send photos of the colophon, the suites if they exist, and two or three plates. We identify the rank in the print run, the nature of the prints, and the market range.